Tackling the ‘epidemic’ of suicide

A growing group of concerned citizens aim to combine their talents and experience in a concerted effort to tackle what one of them called the growing epidemic of suicide in Galway.

Nearly fifty of them recently attended a meeting called Conversations for Action to discuss the growing problem in Galway.

A new umbrella group called the Suicide Prevention Galway held the three hour meeting in the Galway Bay Hotel where they proposed different ways to tackle suicide in the city.

Organizer Paul Fallon said there were many great groups out there for suicide prevention, but they all do the same thing.

He hopes this group can come up with something new that could work to put an end to the ongoing suicide problem.

He described suicide in Galway as an epidemic and that people need to take charge to come together to help those who are feeling venerable.

“I don’t know if epidemic is the right word, but when five young people take their own lives in a short period of time in this city I would consider it an epidemic, something has to be done.

“People are getting used to it, frustrated and upset and they don’t know what to do.”

Paul Fallon founded the group On The Road Again after he spent time volunteering with COPE Galway.

OTRA was a unique group which focused on improving physical well-being and mental health, but due to the lack of funding from the HSE, Paul had to walk away from it.

He introduced Suicide Prevention Galway after he was discouraged and upset by the lack of action on mental health from the government.

He said Suicide Prevention Group’s focus isn’t to point the finger at anyone for the problem the country faces, but it’s to come up with a solution and to show those who are going through a difficult time that help is out there.

“Our focus was not on doling out blame for the lack of mental health services in Ireland, but rather it was to see if we can find a way to better utilize and highlight the existing services, while also seeing if there are any new ideas out there on how to tackle the problem,” he said.

People from all backgrounds were in attendance of its first meeting, including politicians, psychologists, employees from Console, EBTC, and the Irish Traveller Movement and members of the public who are frustrated at the issue and wanted to help.

Dr. Harry Barry, who has published four books on mental health and is featured regularly on national talk shows about the topic, also took part in meeting to add professional advice on the discussions.

Attendees presented about ten ideas to hopefully prevent more suicides from occurring in the city.

Two Galway ladies came up with developing a street patrol called Night Tribes in the city, which goes off a successful UK model.

Night Tribes would patrol the city’s streets between 10.30pm to 4am to identify people who they believe could a threat to themselves or in any way venerable.

Volunteers would work in groups of four or five, liaise with Gardaí and ambulance services, be trained and certified in first aid, and be equipped with mobile phones and water.

Other ideas include making mental health a part of curriculum in schools, opening a 24/7 centre available to those who are going through a tough time to use and putting up more signage around the city to let people know help is out there.

The group also suggested working with bars, clubs and taxis so they could help identify individuals who may be reaching a crisis point.

“Many pictures of the people who are last seen are in clubs. Hopefully clubs and pubs will get together and get into this too,” Mr Fallon said.

He said that they had already had a number of offers of space for centres, as well as people offering their time to help with any ideas.

“Mental health is a complex issue with many facets, and we cannot expect things to change overnight, but if we get organised and know what we are focused on achieving, maybe then can get start to see real change,” he said.