by Annagiulia Mura
“French sociologist Emile Durkheim famously said: ‘It is by no means by accident that men who would have reasons for committing suicide are met in greater numbers in the liberal professions, industrialists and merchants, and in large urban groups more than in others.”
Already in the late 1800s, Durkheim had identified one of the biggest problems in society, but more importantly he had analysed and identified it within context. Because – and this is a paradox – human beings can feel most vulnerable and and alone in the midst of an ocean of people.
London is definitely one of those places that can make you feel overjoyed but lost at the same time, not only because of its immensity, but also because it is not always easy to find your own personal dimension within it.
While it is difficult to get data per city, the Samaritans says that there is “regional variation” in suicide statistics. “The North East of England had the highest suicide rate (13.3. per 100,000) in 2020, which has been the case in five out of the last 10 preceding years and saw an increase of 15.7% compared to 2019.”
In 2020 the UK registered almost 5,000 successful suicides – 4,912 – which was overall a decline of 404 compared to the previous year, the Samaritans reported.
Getting help
Along with charities such as the Samaritans, the NHS offers an emergency service for adults, teenagers and children that includes either physical facilities where you can go for face-to-face interviews with professionals such as psychiatrists or psychiatric nurses or emergency telephone lines with volunteers.
Each borough has its own Mental Health Centre and many associations are involved in suicide prevention, including the Samaritans which is a registered nonreligious charity that offers a completely confidential telephone helpline at any time of the day and year.
It is also possible to call for help for someone else if you think someone is in danger and you don’t know how to deal with the situation. It is crucial to always remember that we cannot handle such dangerous situations on our own and we should always seek professional help, because that can save a life.
Psychotherapist Alessia Potere, 38, works as a counselling psychologist at the Tavistock Clinic in London. “When we do a risk assessment for patients, we ask questions about the patient’s past history and medical history, such as past suicidal thoughts and past self-harm because these are the major factors that can predict a future attempt,” she says.
“Generally, those who attempt to harm themselves by cutting or overdose do so because either it’s the way they’ve learned to deal with their emotions or because the person wants to end their life.
“A strong indicator that the person wants to end their life is when they threaten to want to throw themselves off a bridge, or kill themselves in other ways. The support of family members, doctors, and other professionals, all together, is critical.
“If the risk of suicide is very high, they are sent to the A&E and not discharged until re-evaluation.”
Effect of Covid
According to the Office for National Statistics, it has not yet been possible to record whether the Coronavirus pandemic has really created damage so severe as to cause an increase in suicides, precisely because of the delay in recording deaths.
But it was certainly a period that completely disrupted the lives of all of us, and in a metropolis like the English capital where it was already easy to feel lonely and lost, it did not make things better, in any environment, especially in poor ones
The suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (their helpline is active from 5pm to midnight), together with Netflix, have donated 25 benches to the City of London placed in several parks throughout the city , including the one in Hampstead, following – and during – Ricky Gervais’ TV series After Life, that touches on this very delicate topic.
The benches are for reflection and above each one is a plaque with a small quote from one of the episodes saying ”Hope is everything”. It is very important not to lose sight of that.
Unresolved problems
Usually you contemplate suicide due to unresolved problems, although that’s not the rule, but there are definitely patterns that are repeated and a lot of factors to consider.
”In most cases patients who try to end their lives have a prior condition, even if it’s maybe undiagnosed, because maybe they haven’t wanted to see a specialist yet,” said Bianca Fratugu, a 24-year-old nurse in the emergency room at Barnet Hospital in north London.
“Those same people tend to come back to the hospital with the same problem after a while. I had a patient who came in every month after ingesting pills or something sharp, always in the same mode,” she said.
The feelings, sensations, events and all the things that happen every day might make us feel overwhelmed and we might feel like we can’t cope anymore, especially after tragic or traumatic events.
But we must remember that mental health is just as important as physical health – they are closely related to each other – so it is important to take care of it. Nobody should neglect their mental health, and they should be encouraged to reach out and get the help they need from professionals, without feeling ashamed or judged in any way
Everyone’s story is important and there is always someone who wants to hear it, who has experienced something similar, who has suffered.
You are not alone.
Contact suicide support:
- Samaritans : 116 123
- Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): 0800 585858
- Check on NHS the number of the Mental Health Centre closest to you based on your postcode
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