Threats to Community/Beating the Blue: Youth Suicide and Mental Illness

Ryan Murphy

This weekend in the Sutherland shire, there will be a memorial service for a young woman. You probably didn't know her, I only knew of her, but her story is one that everyone need hear.

Being abused at an early age, this woman spent the majority of her life struggling to deal with human relationships, battling severe depression, and committing regular attempts at suicide, culminating in the taking of her own life just last week.

I wish I could say that this was a lone story, but unfortunately the problems of mental illness and suicide are all too common in the Sutherland shire, particularly amongst the younger generation.

In fact, the Sutherland Shire has over the last 10 years been regularly rated amongst the highest youth suicide rates in the nation. This is one statistic that no one is proud of, and something that we must work to see turned around.   

Good morning Mrs Vale, Mr Morrison, fellow delegates and guests.

So, how do we Beat the Blue? What, if anything, can we do? Unfortunately, there is no one solution that I can give in the next few minutes that will transform the situation. It is, however, a conversation that need be opened.

Through years of research on the topic, there are a number of identifiable risk factors which have been shown to lead towards suicide; one researcher has listed these in the form of an acrostic. While it's not the most uplifting piece of prose you're likely to hear this year, it does set out the points well...

Suicide Risk factors:

SADPERSONS

S - sex (women attempt suicide more, men complete 4X more) - There were 2,101 deaths from suicide registered in 2005, similar to the number registered in the previous year (2,098). Nearly 80% of these were deaths of males.

A - age - under 19 or 45 or older has shown a higher risk of suicide.

D - depression (average suicide rate is 30X higher in people with depression than the general public) - which explains why the two issues (of youth suicide and mental illness) are so inextricably linked. While mental illness and depression are not the only cause or risk factor of suicide, they are definitely a cause worth taking note of. Other risk factors include:  

P - previous attempt - 25 - 50% of "successful" suicides have been previously attempted - so if someone you know says they have already tried to kill themselves, it is always a threat worth taking seriously

E - ethanol use (alcohol) - a depressant

R - rational thinking loss

S - social support lacking - friendship/relationships/employment/religion/social status. This factor is so important. Dealing with a person's social network is one of the most important solutions. Ie dealing with the root of the problem, not just the fruit

O - organised plan - If someone has an actual plan, then they're at very high risk (shows they have thought about it in depth)

N - no spouse (singles and/or those with older kids)

S - sickness - particularly chronic or debilitating

Correlations have also been found between suicide and unemployment.

As I mentioned before, while I think it would very presumptive of me to think I can solve the world's, or even the shire's problems, in a few short minutes; especially with such a deep issue, that many have given their time and efforts to so far; I would like to suggest a few avenues worth further discovery.

Admitting that mental illness IS an illness is a start. For decades, there has been a leprosy-like stigma attached to those with depression or mental illness. When the truth is, if someone had a broken leg, we wouldn't tell them to get over it and run a marathon.

Asking them is there any way out of this situation? There usually is

A self protection contract - usually works (in rehab settings particularly)

I believe one main key is to give people hope. Whether this is done through motivational speakers, through our education system and teachers, by counsellors, or by the messages that are seen on TV or billboards, it must be something that each young person is bombarded with to the point of annoyance. I am a strong believer that every single person has at least something to offer and contribute to our society and area. In an area such as ours, where houses are nice, schooling is good, the weather is great, and money is generally not an issue, we need to be emphasising the fact that each person is important, and has something to give beyond what their parents can buy for them.

Along this same vein, I believe, is having a sense of belonging. Being apart of something greater than ones self. I am personally apart of and have been apart of different clubs around the area, and can testify that, when you are part of something bigger than you; whether that is winning a premiership, putting on events for kids in the area, or gathering for worship; when there's a bigger cause, and something to be part of, people (in my experience) are far less likely to fall into negative thinking. And if they do, there are people there to lift them out of it...

Unfortunately, this young woman didn't receive the support that she needed, and despite battling with the issue of mental illness since she was young, the result, unfortunately, was suicide.

More needs to be done.