Recession blamed for suicide rise across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

“These are terrible times for many people. For those that fall into the most serious depression (usually the prime cause of suicide), there seems little way out. Difficult to describe it adequately for those who haven't been there, as some forms of depression become a chronic illness that last a very long time, at times seemingly with no end in sight.

What depression has nothing to do with is being "weak-minded" (as previous poster claims). It's a complex illness, which may even involve bio-chemical imbalances, which are usually treatable if the right approach & therapies are available. That isn't always the case.

As for it being selfish, part of the problem with any major depressive illness is that those suffering may actually believe that they're doing others a favour by dying & getting out of their lives.

At least previously we had enough fully-staffed NHS mental health centres to offer professional support to the worst cases, helping them get through the toughest periods until they recovered. Austerity cuts have taken out most of those, with more closures planned (Hanley's Bennett Centre to go to save some £2.5m. GPs have also been told by this govt to cut back on prescribing anti-depressants. All this only makes matters worse.

Meanwhile, rotten banks continue their scams with bankers profiting from the bonus culture, knowing they'll always get hundreds of billions of pounds more bailout money should they screw the entire economic system yet again!

Little wonder that some of those who have lost their jobs, their marriage, relationships, have health problems, etc. feel too hopeless to see a way out.

Agree with By Ghosts. I hope I'm wrong in saying this problem is likely to only get worse for many people, but without easily-accessible, professional support, I can't see it being otherwise. - May all those affected take care & try to stay strong.”

“Im sorry but anyone who commits suicide is a selfish, selfish person. It doesnt affect you, as you've killed yourself, it ruins other peoples lifes.. leaves them questioning "Could I have done anything"... to have a life with that in a part of your mind.

Hardships are part and parcel of life, they come and they go... eventually. You cannot blame the current economic situation, as history shows and is repeating itself now, that this is a part of society... for reasons we all know through our govt. but these things are completey out of our grasp (Unless we decide to change it, perseverience and patients can take you anywhere in life). I believe the dumbing down in current society is the cause.

When the working class stuck together as one, the British spirit was a lot better. (Now, I am only going off what various older generations have told me... from all walks of life) I can honestly see why people think "whats the point" when your working 40 hours a week on £5.11 or something **** and then look at Wayne & Waynetta up Bentilee with their sky tv, tracksuit & unlimited supply of Carlin - there is not fairness in society. At all.

Suicide is the cowards way out to this. In a capitalist society we are in a meritocracy, we are masters of our own destiny. This is fact, people may not have the same opportunities but in this day & age we are all aware from the day we start school we can achieve anything with effort.

Ambition is something not valued and not pushed in the UK. Life needs meaning and a direction, ambition is what people need in order to not loose focus of whats important in life... which is making the world a better place to live. Now, i dont believe i make the world a better place by working ... but i know it makes it easier an better for the people around me, who is all i really care about.

I feel desperatly sorry for those whove taken their lifes. But it is a mental disease and weak minded. People take too much for granted. Society doesnt ow you a good life, you make a good life from society... best you can or are willing to do so.”

“Not sure about "austerity" being the cause.Figures released last week showed State spending rose under the Conservatives.”

“I have to agree with Steve Batkin.Knowing that they will never work,knowing that if they form a relationship they might well not be allowed to see their children,no wonder so many men feel suicidal.
When men have been driven to suicide by their nearest and dearest,it should be recorded as domestic violence.”

“This isn't the current recession it's the ongoing one stoke has suffered for the last 30 years.

Stoke On Trent Died in the 1980's and never recovered, I don't blame any one governement I blame the labour council for the years of mismanagement and theft of public funds.

People are trapped in a huge unpolicable yet under populated sprawl of a city with no local employment, sub standard public transport, sub standard education, dead town centres and no forseeable change to the situation in our lifetime as all that is being offered is 3rd world level wages in supermarkets that leave working people still trapped and reliant on the state in order to avoid abject poverty.

Clear the slums and sink estates, reconcentrate housing and businesses on one place, disolve the city council and create a smaller borough and share the few small suburbs left out around the other councils.

If we don't start anew young people are going to continue throwing themself off bridges on to the A500 and A50.”

“NO DOUBT REFLECTED UP AND DOWN THE COUNTRY. BEING ENCOURAGED TO BORROW MONEY WHEN THE TIMES WERE GOOD. LOSING YOUR JOB THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN AT THIS PRESENT TIME;NOT GOOD. UNLESS YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS YOURSELF,NOT ABLE TO MAKE THE NEXT REPAYMENT OF YOUR LOAN, FOLLOWED BY ENDLESS PHONE CALLS, THREATENING LETTERS,COURT ACTION,DO I NEED TO GO ON. BORROWING MORE MONEY TO PAY THE DEBT,WHICH IS ESCALATING BY THE DAY,A VICIOUS CIRCLE. THE BOTTOM LINE BEING , YOUR HOME, THE BIGGEST ASSET YOU ARE GOING TO OWN COMES UNDER THREAT. IS IT NO WONDER PEOPLE DON'T SEE LIFE WORTH LIVING.THEY ARE ON THEIR OWN,WITH VERY LITTLE HELP OUT THERE.WOULD NOT WISH IT ON MY WORST ENEMY.”

“its the government that are to blame...they are the ones that force the issues...”

“No one is going to convince me that this austerity isn't forced, in order to manipulate the people and keep them in there place and force issues like this to the surface. Then they come along and show that they are doing something, pleasing the electorate and pacifying them.

I can never trust a LabRat, ConArtist or Dimwit and I've discovered that the Schity Independents are definitely SHIFTY. And the BNP are definitely no good for this city!

We need representatives prepared to represent their community's with integrity and openness, with a willingness not to be manipulated or manipulate. Because a "Free City" or "Fair City", we aint!

Apark@Stoke4LUZ
honi soit qui mal y pense”

“I don't think any of the suicide figures reflect a true picture of what is really going on in society. We must take into account the deliberate destructive life styles many people have adopted in today's hopeless socio-economic situation. In other words people are deliberately killing themselves over a period of years through alcohol/legal drugs/illegal drugs but their lives are still cut short by decades. The fact that we have a bogus 'opposition' Government (Labour Party) doesn't help: Labour had 13 years 1997-2010 and did nothing apart from close factories. What's the point of having them back in Government? It's ridiculous!
http://tinyurl.com/c5fch56”

“byghosts
Remind me which Goverment got us in this Mess?
Also which Goverment said "NO MORE BOOM & BUST"”