Suicides: 60% more than UK » News » This Is Jersey.
SUICIDE rates in Jersey are more than 60 per cent higher than in England, worrying new figures have revealed.
The number of Islanders taking their own lives has increased steadily since 2005 — with a sharp rise in suicides last year. Sixteen Islanders committed suicide last year, compared to a previous average of about ten.
Mental health services are now being reviewed and improved and a major programme to help health professionals detect and treat those with psychological problems is being rolled out.
Dr Rosemary Geller, Jersey’s Medical Officer of Health, said: ‘The number of suicides has been increasing over recent years and we saw a big rise in 2008. We are now studying the figures closely and examining what needs to be done to bring down the number of Islanders committing suicide.’
Well if you removed the oppression, abuse, secrecy, debased value system based wholly on money, the massive income divide, the feeling that Jersey people are alienated from the place where they were born and a bit more like that I think you'll find it will help.
This isn't rocket science: it's a glaringly obvious sign that the culture of secrecy jurisdictions abuses the human spirit.
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Richard – I am amazed how you have time to be an expert on mental health as well as tax. You really belittle the comments on this site by trying to draw a link between suicide rates and so called “tax havens”. Shame on you.
[…] Further: SUICIDE rates in Jersey are more than 60 per cent higher than in England, worrying new figures have revealed. […]
Henry
I live with a GP who does a great deal of work on mental health
I discussed it with her before posting and she agreed with the analysis – and informed it
The link is, to an informed medical practitioner, quite obvious
The problem of understanding is yours I think
To believe that the choices we take in the economy and the inequalities and stresses that result have no impact on mental health is naive in the extreme
Richard
Richard,
This is nonsense and you know it – far more stressful is people using abusive language and incorrectly branding someone a liar – see you response on “It’s always been about politics”. Is your GP ok with someone who uses the word “crap”; incorrectly calls someone a “liar” and refuses to accept the truth (there’s a word for that isnt there?)
Henry
Just imagine if they were all bank workers and only topped themselves after reading Richard and John’s propaganda on this blog?!
“To believe that the choices we take in the economy and the inequalities and stresses that result have no impact on mental health is naive in the extreme”
Sure, highly naive. The suicide rate in the UK is 10 or 11 per 100,000. It’s normally that in Jersey as well although it peaked at about 17 per 100,000 last year (and given Jersey has fewer than 100,000 people we would take that rate very lightly, more a result of random statistical movement than a trend. Seriously, the suicide number went from 10 people to 16 people in one year.).
But that does leave some explaining to do about why the Norwegian rate is 17.7 per 100,000, the Swedish 20 per 100,000. What inequalities ans stresses are causing that?
Tim
There’s more than one explanation for such things
Heard of SAD – seasonal affective disorder? http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Seasonal-Affective-Disorder-(SAD).htm Oddly prevalent in Scandinavian countries
Richard
Henry
If you’d noticed what I’d been called on some right wing websites I think crap – an entirely appropriate word to describe much of the nonsense many commentators ion this site peddle – is really not an issue. I’d prescribe a dose of growing up to you
As for liar – a word too little used when someone is not telling the truth – which, in my experience happens rather a lot
I’ll deal with the issue you raise elsewhere
As for the truth – a hard concept when proof does not exist – subtlety beyond neoliberals I fear
Richard
Richard,
You’ve lost me I am afraid. I do agree with you that the proof doesn’t exist though, so you (or anyone else) cannot describe it as right or wrong. Only your view. And not mine.
Henry
Henry
I put forward a hypothesis
Not a proof
No one can prove such things
Do you know anything about the way debate on such things works?
Richard
Richard – 2 points
1) you pride yourself, I think – on providing reasoned analysis to support your assertions, and certainly stridently demand proof from your respondents of their assertions & refutations of your commentary.
So you have analysed – ahead of Dr Geller – each of these suicides and have found a clear link to the socio-economic conditions, alienation etc etc in Jersey in order to confidently post the above.
2) as a CA of analytical bent, you have considered and are able to refute Tim Worstall’s comment above – and I am not referring to the reference to Scandinavians topping themselves because its dark a lot of the time.
Your post is a cheap shot and not worthy of the rest of your site.
Eugene
It’s terribly sweet of you to express such concern for my credibility but so far as I can tell you think I have none, so equally its utterly insincere of you.
I have presented a hypothesis that I think entirely plausible – and if you read quite a lot of the medical press and the writing of someone like Dr Iona Heath – current president of the Royal College of General Practitioners – you’d find a great many medical specialists think that health inequality and mental illness are strongly related to prevailing issues in society.
Jersey is deeply divided and oppressive society with a fundamental malaise caused by the meaningless of the lives of many spent doing work they despise servicing money that they know others have no right to possess
You might also witness this in the profound binge drinking culture
But of course you could be right
It’s just a hypothesis
Like another of mine – that you’re happy living with your head in the sand
Richard
The people of Jersey have been fleeced by a minority of rich people over the last few decades.
This is why we have such crap public services, when we should have the best in the world.
And I agree, that is potentially one factor in the above average suicide rate.
And, yes, there is a binge drinking culture, and many binge drinkers are finance workers. It is not normal or natural for humans to spend all day doing dull meaningless work sat at a desk, it’s bound to cause mental health issues.
Richard
Come on …..”Jersey is deeply divided and oppressive society” …”fundamental malaise”… “meaningless of the lives”…”work they despise”…”Binge drinking”…”suicide”…
We’ve got lovely milk though 🙄
Henry
Potatoes are pretty good too
Nice beaches as well
Let’s be positive
But Dan’s got it right
Richard
Richard – touched that you’re touched – but you have a great deal of credibility (otherwise I would not bother reading your blog).
”Jersey is deeply divided and oppressive society with a fundamental malaise caused by the meaningless of the lives of many spent doing work they despise servicing money that they know others have no right to possess”
You might also witness this in the profound binge drinking culture”
So the ‘profound binge drinking culture’ is unique to Jersey? It is endemic throughout the UK! This uniquely British ‘disease’ is attributable surely to the breakdown in family values, modern society’s desire for instant gratification etc etc – I could go on but will sound like the Daily Mail. It is not due to some trust administrator steeped in self loathing after drafting a trust deed!
Your hypothesis has more holes than a Jersey fisherman’s net.
Please do tell your readers how Jersey is a ”deeply divided oppressive society” You make it sound like Saudi Arabia!
“I have presented a hypothesis that I think entirely plausible ”
What about the point that a rise from 10 to 16 could simply be random variation? Would you care to address that?
Eugene and Tim
You put forward alternative hypotheses
Neither disproves mine
For a town of its size I have not seen binge drinking of the sort I have in St Helier
I do talk to many in Jersey who feel oppressed
And many in medicine do see massive problems in mental health and the types of issue |Jersey faces
But I accept – it is only a hypothesis and statistical aberration is possible too…
So shall we move on if we’re not going to agree?
Richard
Richard,
To support your hypothesis, could you tell us what you think has changed in Jersey to raise its suicide rate from 10 (which seems to be roughly equivalent to the UK) to the higher rate of 16?
Tim
Increasing pressure on the location as a secrecy jurisdiction – so increased uncertainty
Changes in taxes
GST – and the pressure to make ends meet
More aggressive approach to financial services – new trust laws and foundations
The pressure to sell unethically – e.g. at Lloyds as per Panorama
That will do for starters
Richard