Suicide Season

The run up to Christmas is notoriously a stressful time of the year with suicide rates and homelessness peaking putting extra strain on already stretched services and charities designed to help individuals in need. The Samaritans charity, has warned that the recession in Britain is likely to push up suicide rates even further over Christmas. Rising unemployment, or the fear of losing ones job, financial pressures for homeowners and insecure investments will all be contributing factors to this expected crisis.
"Mental health effects of the recession are being overlooked by the Government," said a spokeswoman from the Samaritans.
Research earlier in the year by the Charity Commission and the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (Acevo) showed that up to three-quarters of voluntary organisations had seen demand for services rise, and provided an early portent of difficult times ahead. However, charities covering areas that traditionally see a spike in demand during the holiday season - such as drugs and alcohol addiction groups, domestic violence organisations and homelessness support - are feeling a renewed squeeze, and many believe that worse is to come.