We can all help stop suicides

We can all help stop suicides

17 July 2013

WHEN people retire they simply can’t wait to get away from the world of work.

But Downpatrick man Pat McGreevy is the exception to the rule. While the South Eastern Trust’s former suicide awareness co-ordinator may have retired, the last thing he plans on doing is forgetting about his years of dedicated service helping others.

Mr. McGreevy does not intend to get his slippers out and take things easy. Far from it. He plans to use the expertise he has built up over decades in the mental health profession and channel it towards preventing people from taking their own lives.

The Downpatrick man passionately believes that it’s not just health professionals who have a role to play in helping tackle the issue of suicide. He said everyone in society can help and has no plans to give up on suicide prevention. It’s an issue he’s committed to keeping firmly at the top of everyone’s agenda.

“Suicide is a problem for every area and the issue in Down District would not be any worse than it is in other parts of Northern Ireland,” he revealed. “Suicide is a very emotive issue and families who lose loved ones in this way are left asking themselves questions for many years after what is a very tragic event.

“There are a number of good practice initiatives happening elsewhere and I believe we could apply some of them here in Down District. In my opinion, suicide is an issue which everyone should be involved in.

“When the topic of suicide comes up in conversation people will regularly say that it’s an issue for the health service; a mental health issue. But suicide is really a public health issue and everyone really needs to be involved in it,” Mr. McGreevy continued.

The suicide specialist said schools, higher education institutes and work places need to get involved in the issue, suggesting taxi drivers and hairdressers who come into contact with people on a regular basis can also help.

“These particular people may have an opportunity to do something; their customers talk to them and there are those who have taken taxis in the past on their way to end their life. If the taxi driver is alert he may recognise something is not right. If he was trained to spot the signs he could ask simple questions like if the person is okay.

“There are a number of suicide awareness programmes in place but I feel we need to do more and that everyone must take responsibility. I believe we could shape a plan to say here’s what work places, community leaders and politicians can do better to promote mental health and prevent suicide.”

While a suicidal person may not ask for help, it does not mean that they don’t want assistance. Suicide prevention starts with recognising the warning signs and taking them seriously.

Mr. McGreevy would also be keen for a local GP practice to take on a model of suicide prevention for doctors and all the staff, with perhaps several of them undertaking a suicide awareness training programme provided by the South Eastern Trust.

“This could lead to a situation where a practice nurse who has been trained and who sees someone they believe requires help to have that provided quickly,” said Mr. McGreevy.

“There is an initiative in England known as CALM which stands for the Campaign Against Living Miserably and it’s main aim is to prevent men taking their own lives. We do not have an organisation like that in Northern Ireland and maybe we should. I have spoken to people from CALM and they would be keen to set up here.”

In Australia, a “men’s shed initiative” was set up to encourage men to not only work alongside one another, but create an environment where they could openly talk with one another. It’s an initiative Mr. McGreevy believes could be successful at local and regional levels.

He continued: “It’s well known that men do not talk about personal or emotional problems face to face. What they found in Australia is that if you bring men together on a practical work project they are standing side by side and they will share their feelings, particularly if they are depressed or suicidal.

“We know that people die by suicide as they feel they have no one to talk to; they feel they are not connected and are a burden to others. The men’s shed initiative provides connections, relationships, support and increases people’s effectiveness through a sense of achievement by making, fixing or creating something.

“The men’s sheds initiative is fairly strong in the Republic of Ireland and there are some associations in Northern Ireland which provide this service. I believe one of those should be in Down District and hope this can be progressed following a meeting next month in Crossgar where the Tobar Mhuire community is willing to have such an initiative located in its grounds.”

Mr. McGreevy said while the South Eastern Trust is doing a “fantastic job” when it comes to suicide prevention, he believes the issue needs to be taken to the next level with everyone in the community getting involved to do what they can to help.

“With 15 years knowledge and experience in this field I do not want to just walk away because I have retired. I think that I can contribute to the efforts of the Trust and the other organisations that are committed to suicide prevention and promoting mental health amongst the local population,” he said.

Mr. McGreevy said while attempts were made in the past to set up support groups for families bereaved by suicide, he believes it’s time these efforts were stepped up.

“I believe there is a need for one of these groups in our district. In the past, we may also have been neglectful of the friends of the person who died,” he continued.

“It is becoming more and more recognised that they are as impacted by suicide as anyone else. People who lose loved ones are left asking questions for years with the ‘if onlys’ one of the constant thoughts in their mind.”

Mr. McGreevy added: “During my career I have had the opportunity to see best practice at work in the United States and Canada. I have met some of the experts in the field of suicide prevention and formed connections and established relationships.

“I believe there are lot of things we can add to what is currently happening. I am willing to pitch in, roll the sleeves up and help in any way I can. The drive from the United States is that we should consider suicide as a never event. Suicide is something that if we all worked on we could almost, if not completely, eliminate.”

• Anyone who would like to contact Mr. McGreevy can do so at mcgreevy_pat@yahoo.co.uk.