From: Hermit (hidden@lucifer.com)
Date: Fri Jul 04 2003 - 12:01:18 MDT
Suicidal tendency 'rubs off'
Source: http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0%2c4057%2c6696981%255E421%2c00.html
Authors: Monica Videnieks
Dated: 2003-07-04
Noticed by: JerryLee
KNOWING someone who has attempted suicide can increase your risk of self-harm by almost five times.
"This is contagious; this is a phenomenon, which, personally, has surprised me greatly - and I've been working in this area for a long time," researcher Deigo De Leo said of the finding, which emerged from a survey of 15,000 Australians older than 17.
"Just knowing someone who has attempted suicide, not completed it, puts people at 4.6 times more risk of doing the same."
Director of the Australian Institute for Suicidal Research and Prevention, Professor De Leo presented the initial findings last night at an international forum on suicide and suicidal behaviour at Brisbane's Griffith University.
The results, part of a continuing World Health Organisation study into links between culture and suicide in 30 countries, revealed also that financial troubles are the second-most common factor pushing Australians towards suicide. The first is relationship woes.
"This is quite different from what is happening in other countries," he said.
He said high levels of gambling problems and drug and alcohol abuse contributed to financial difficulties that may bring on suicidal thoughts.
"In males, there are entrenched mechanisms of shame with financial difficulties, because of the stigma that you are a failure and unreliable," Professor De Leo said.
The study found also that Australians aged between 25 to 44 are more likely to contemplate suicide and that such thoughts are far more common in men.
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