Sadly, there is a global “epidemic” with doctors, carers, experts, focusing more on people’s “mental health”
Not just a Western academic study, but a real medical issue that is costing the global economies billions of dollars every year.
Depression, homelessness, unemployment, housing and mortgage stress, poverty, feeling that economic development has “passed them by”
Wages, stagnant.
Thousands of universities around the globe churning out graduates, then finding politician promises of jobs jobs jobs simply not materialising.
Factories and entities that once employed hundreds of thousands of workers, accountants, salespeople etc, now replaced by machines and artificial intelligence with humans, largely in supervisory roles.
Lots of part-time jobs, making cheaper overheads, social consequences ignored.
Australia in 2016 had 2,866 suicides.
Now despite television and newspaper campaigns addressing the increasing number of suicides, more funds focusing on prevention, a realisation, “something different has to be done.”
A new National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Commission created, reporting directly to the Health Minister and the Prime Minister.
This year, $80 (Australian) million committed by the government, for the mental health, an extra $8.9m to the amount allocated last year.
The situation is not unique to Australia, for whenever people are stigmatised by unemployment and concern, the early mortality rate through suicide is rising in the 15-45 age bracket.
Much of this is driven by disillusionment, helplessness, job unavailability, impoverishment, poor healthcare, living on social welfare, turning to cigarettes, drugs and alcohol, with smokers five times more likely than the general public to die prematurely.
“Mortgage stress,” when people encouraged by banks to borrow more, loans still need repaying when good times end and jobs, wages, die.
Suicide risks heighten.
Cultural change is required, with community help, a holistic approach, because the community simply cannot ignore it.
People who have fought for the country, often know nothing but the military, with its regimental discipline, food always available, personal succour guaranteed, now need re-immersing in civil society.
Hence the importance of community support, shared ownership of the problems of mental health care.
Again using the Australian example, a number of suicides have occurred by ex-military people who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Vietnam, who have seen terrible deaths, including of women and children.
Bahrainis have died in Yemen, police too, seeing trauma victims, dealing with terrorists at home, grisly road and industrial accidents victims.
Back to Australia again. In 2016 the cost of dealing with mental health was to the extent of 4 per cent of GDP.
It is probable, more in 2018 and unless changes are made for prevention, there will be more suicides.
Lots of glowing news in the GDN and while things are going well and the economy continues to grow strongly, universities churning out graduates in abundance, things are fine,.
Yet there are a suicides in the expat community, particularly construction workers, feeling trapped, far from home and helpless.
Mental health prevention, necessary before adversity, best be prepared when the signs become evident.
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