In spite of the rise in the number of suicides in Ireland, the taboo and stigma surrounding the subject has lessened in recent years, a suicide support group said last week.
"In the not-so-distant past, suicide was regarded as a taboo subject and was something that could not be discussed in the public domain," Michael Egan of Living Links said.
Suicide rates in Ireland have doubled since 1980, according to the Central Statistics Office and there are, on average, 494 deaths by suicide in the State each year.
Prior to the 1990s, support services were almost nonexistent for those bereaved by or contemplating suicide. Such was the stigma surrounding suicide that the act of suicide itself was considered to be a crime and was not decriminalised by the State until 1993.
Currently in Ireland, there are 1,600 individuals and groups offering suicide and bereavement support and last week, the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention published two booklets entitled You Are Not Alone in a bid to help and assist people bereaved by suicide.
One booklet provides advice and help on coping with the death of someone close and the other is a directory of bereavement support services.
"These booklets come as part of an attempt to coordinate the many organisations that are doing magnificent jobs at all sorts of different levels," said Geoff Day of the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention.