Sir, - I commend The Irish Times for its recent excellent series of articles on suicide. The distressing statistics speak for themselves and illustrate the need for increased resources to be made available to address this tragedy. Your reports raised many issues that require further debate and understanding.
One such matter touched upon was self-harm or self-injury. I appreciate that in such a small piece it would be impossible to fully explain all that is involved in this complex issue. But as a counsellor and a member of the Self-Injury Forum, a primarily UK-based resource group working in this field, I would like to mention a few points that may help to provide a fuller understanding.
While it is true that many people who injure themselves go on to commit suicide, the vast majority do not. There is a clear distinction in many people's experience between repetitive self-injury and suicide attempts. In such cases the intention behind the act of injuring oneself is not to kill but often to cope with painful experiences, and many people actually find it a way of self-preservation, a method of relieving deep distress. It is important that we remain aware of all that is involved when we seek to understand such complex actions.
I sincerely hope that The Irish Times continues its good work in raising awareness and promoting much-needed discussion of these topics. - Yours, etc.,
Karl Tooher, Botanic Avenue, Glasnevin, Dublin 9.