Pandemic fears ‘overwhelm’ suicide line
A SUICIDE charity says it has been overwhelmed with calls from people driven to despair by lockdown.
The news comes as last night the Samaritans announced a quarter of all its calls are linked to the pandemic.
Ged Flynn, chief executive of the suicide prevention charity Papyrus, said it has been “run off its feet” and has extended its opening hours as well as increased its staff to cover the spike in demand for help.
It estimates 90 per cent of all calls and texts to its service are coronavirus or lockdown-related.
These include “recurring” concerns linked to physical and mental health, uncertainty over the future and struggles to access support services, as well as loneliness and isolation.
Many are also anxious about a loss of income, domestic violence and abuse, and the potential to become infected with coronavirus.
However, Mr Flynn said the risk of suicide linked to lockdown is not being discussed openly.
He said: “Everyone is cautiously talking about mental health and the lockdown and careful not to link suicide with lockdowns for fear of copycatting. However, 75 per cent of people who die by suicide are not even known to mental health services. People are seriously trying to avoid the word suicide at the moment.
“But we now need to do this. We have to talk about it sensibly and openly and encourage people to seek and find help if they are having suicidal thoughts.
“Papyrus is hearing daily the circumstances of pain linked to the lockdown which is entirely new to them. People are calling in who are feeling suicidal and saying they are at their wits’ end.”
Mr Flynn’s comments follow Nhs-funded research which uncovered a “concerning signal” that child suicide deaths may have increased during lockdown.
The Samaritans said it had “no doubt” the pandemic is having an adverse impact on the national health and wellbeing.
A spokeswoman said: “Our volunteers have provided emotional support over a million times (via phone, email and letters) since lockdown and almost a quarter of those calls for help have been about coronavirus with people feeling concerned about isolation, mental health and illness.”
She added: “Suicide is not inevitable and there are actions we can take so difficult times do not result in people taking their own lives.”