Middle-aged men have become the age group at highest risk of suicide, according to the Dublin Samaritans.
Dublin Samaritans director Brendan Gallagher said the high suicide rate among younger men had received an enormous amount of media attention but, more recently, middle-aged men had become the age group at the highest risk of suicide.
“We’re saying to the people of Dublin that we’re there for them and if you find yourself in a lonely place and there’s nobody there to talk to, then you can call Samaritans,” he said.
Mr Gallagher said sometimes there was a “catastrophic loneliness” among people but he wanted to let people know Samaritans were there for them.
“We would prefer to have people calling us when they’re feeling blue rather than at the point when they’re thinking of taking their own life,” he said.
Awareness campaign
Ireland and Leinster rugby players Shane Jennings and Isaac Boss along with singer Dickie Rock launched the Samaritans’ Talk to Us campaign, for people struggling to see contacting the organisation as a “first step” rather than a last resort.
As part of the annual Talk to Us campaign, Dublin Samaritan volunteers will take to the streets next week to let people know they are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
The Dublin branch of the Samaritans is located at 112 Marlborough Street and is open from 10am to 10pm.
Mr Jennings said he did not know why men had trouble speaking about their feelings but he hoped that would change.
“There’s never a problem that’s so big that you can’t talk to someone about it,” he said.
The Samaritans can be reac- hed at 116123 or 1850-609090.