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A Co Donegal GP and coroner has said there is “a terrible problem” of suicide among young people in Ireland.
Dr Denis McCauley, chairman of the Irish Medical Organization’s committee of GPs, said he has seen an increase in female suicides this year.
Dr. McCauley told the Oireachtas mental health subcommittee Thursday morning that he is committing suicide in both his role as GP and medical examiner.
“Every death by suicide is a disaster. I think it is important to put in context that we are probably one of the lowest countries in Europe, I think the eleventh lowest in relation to overall suicide. We have a terrible problem with young men committing suicide, especially young men, ”he told the committee.
“This year, sadly, I have seen more female suicides in our area than I have seen in a while.”
Dr McCauley also said that there is no doubt that the current Covid pandemic has had significant psychological effects on the population of Ireland.
“There are increasing reports of common mental health problems and more marked neuropsychiatric disorders associated with the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
“These can arise from the direct effects of infection and prolonged Covid syndrome, with forced isolation and quarantine, and with additional stressors such as acute or abnormal bereavement, job loss, tensions between families and impoverishment. sudden.
“These additional pressures can present as an acute psychiatric diagnosis or an exacerbation of previous psychological / psychiatric problems, domestic violence, or elevated levels of alcohol or drug use.”
‘Much worse’
Dr Diarmuid Quinlan, medical director of the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), said loneliness was a challenge before Covid-19 and has gotten “much worse” due to the pandemic.
Dr. Quinlan referred to the example of an older man who used to visit his office “long before” his appointment time.
“When I saw him sitting there, the first time or two I’d call him off duty before his scheduled appointment time. But very quickly I realized that he lived alone, in a rural part of Cork and that he essentially came [early] just from the social interaction of meeting other people in a doctor’s waiting room, ”he said.
Dr. Quinlan said that the current workload of GPs is “very significant” and that they will likely have a role in supporting the Covid-19 vaccination campaign. He added that rural Ireland faces a “real crisis” in terms of attracting and retaining doctors.
The committee heard that about 50 percent of the GP’s consultations have some element of psychological information, while 25 percent of the GP’s workload is directly related to managing mental health symptoms. , including anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and addiction.
Figures for October show that 2,229 young people with serious mental and behavioral health problems are on the waiting list for an initial evaluation by a team from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, of which more than a third have been waiting. for more than six months.
Dr Sumi Dunne, a GP in Co Laois, said that we must begin to consider integrating mental health care into existing services and have less dependence on voluntary charities, which will go through “lean times” due to to Covid-19.
If you are affected by any issues in this article, please contact Pieta House at 1800 247 247 or the Samaritans by calling 116 123 (toll free) or by emailing [email protected]
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