Madam, - I concur with the views expressed by Mike Power (September 14th). Experts have suggested that as many as 80 per cent of suicides can be traced back to depression. Last year, 457 people died by suicide, with 93 of those deaths in the 15-24 age group.
Madam, - I concur with the views expressed by Mike Power (September 14th). Experts have suggested that as many as 80 per cent of suicides can be traced back to depression. Last year, 457 people died by suicide, with 93 of those deaths in the 15-24 age group.
Aware has, since 1995, presented an awareness programme called Beat the Blues to senior-cycle students in secondary schools throughout Ireland. The programme gives factual information on the signs and symptoms of depression, helps students to recognise it either in themselves or among their friends, and explores the help available to them.
It also highlights the link between alcohol abuse, depression and suicide - a particular concern in these days after the Junior Cert results have been released, as your newspaper has already highlighted this week.
Beat the Blues not only creates awareness of depressive illness among young people in the safe and responsible environment of their school, it also plays a vital role in stamping out the stigma that still shrouds mental illness. In encouraging young people to be open about emotional difficulties and to get help early, it is actively working to prevent suicide.
Education is indeed a powerful weapon and one that we all must use if we want to win the battle against suicide and prevent the tragic loss of life we see in this country year after year. - Yours, etc,
GERALDINE CLARE, Chief Executive Officer, Aware, Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7.