Tackling Suicide

Ok we know folks in all societies are nipping themselves in the bud.  We know especially in New Zealand that many people are taking their own lives.  A lot of young people in recent years and that seems to be trending upwards (Kawerau, Northland) and at what seems at an alarming rate.

We also know that communities are fighting the after effects of those suicides and by and large society has been doing this for ages, but is that what we need to do in reality?  Should we be dealing solely on the after effects?  I know from personal experience that there are very few support agencies for people that try suicide and fail, and even less when a suicide does occur.  So is our society actually geared to deal with this nemesis?  The short answer is no.

Too many folks slip through the cracks due to a raft of reasons.  Dysfunctional family life, the stress of modern society, bullying, peer pressure to name a few.  Yes these are identifiable causes but what as a society are we doing to PREVENT suicide?  Well the answer to that is basically NOTHING.

Modern society rewards success and achievement and all through our lives we are pressured to be the model person, job, family, home, money, gadgets and that drives our society.  It starts in schooling, continues through young adult years and into our middle and older ages.  Let's not forget, many folks in their mid life suffer crises through those pressures and many attempt or commit suicide instead of showing they have failed in their ( and our) dreams.  Yes it's not just youth committing suicide. It would be unfair to tackle any age group in suicide discussions as the whole process should be abhorrent to modern life.

So where to start?  It would be so easy to pick out any one reason for suicides to happen, the whole picture is muddied by the reality that anyone in any socioeconomic group is prone to falling.  So how to tackle this across the board?  Let's start with education.  We teach our young through recognised programmes on how to deal with a 1 ton motor vehicle.  They have to pass tests, they have to learn the machine, they have to recognise they are not the only one out there driving.  So why don't we apply the same ethos to teaching the young how to identify how their lives could be lived?  Let's go back to driving.  We teach youngsters that if any component in the car starts to fail, to get it sorted as it could mean life and death.  They are taught to go to a mechanic or auto electrician or whatever for a check up and to get the problem solved.  Let's put that thinking in the schools starting at year 10 at high school.  Let's educate the young on how to recognise issues in their lives that could trip them up, let's give them the tools to be able to seek help if their body and mind (car) needs tinkering or crisis intervention, let's teach them basic but life saving Life Skills.  Why?

Well society by and large these days is a single parent family or a full family with Mum and Dad working.  That's an identifiable fact.  And the kids these days are either not getting those life skills  at home, or due to peer pressure are ignoring their parents sound advice.  But in schools, surrounded by their friends (and enemies) they are more open to those required skills and less afraid to seeking counseling or help early if they have issues.  BUT I don't want schools to be the only party in this proposal.  Counseling/therapy/Conferences need also to involve the family and the immediate circle of friends so that the mechanics of recovery are set in place and the car and driver are safe to continue on in life.

I know the Education Ministry will cry "But the cost".  But here is the clincher.  Lives lost to suicide amount to millions of dollars in investment.  If one life could be saved, the economic and social rewards are huge.  And let's also argue that it's not only the MOE that benefits, MSD and MOH both stand to save money through preventative measures being put in place.  The savings from suicide prevention are indeed mammoth.  PLUS society benefits.  Lives will be saved, and those close to those saved victims don't have to go through the pain, the cost and the repercussions of that one act.  I'd like to ask all three government ministries though especially the MOE, what cost benefit return does New Zealand get from doing European or Asian languages in schools?  Come on folks, drop those languages if money needs to be channeled and set up a Life Skills subject that encompasses Sex Education, Mental Health, Suicide and I'm sure there are others I haven't mentioned.

The closed buds of our youth need sunlight and nutrients to flower.  Let's give it to them.