Jobless at risk?

Press, 27 December 1980, Page 1

Jobless at risk?

PA Wellington Dramatic increases in the suicide rate and' attempted suicide rate among the jobless are revealed in a survey published in the latest issue; of ' the “New Zealand Medical Journal.” For every 1000 jobless, 23 will try’ .to kill themselves, according to the statistics, compiled in Wellington. The suicide rate for the

jobless is far ahead of New Zealand’s next most at-risk group: for every 1000 retired people, three will attempt suicide. For the. rest of the population the rate is one attempt for each 1000. Dr Fraser Mcdonald, superintendent of Auckland’s Carrington Psychiatric Hospital, said that a similar survey made among those admitted to the hospital supported the Wellington survey. He emphasised that the surveys referred to the unemployed and not to those who were unemployable. The results of the sur-

vey came as no surprise to him. He gave three main reasons why more jobless people wanted to end their lives: . — Often they were young and had not developed self-worth.. An inability to find work served only to undermine further, or destroy, their feeling of self-worth; — Society tended to isolate the jobless. Often

they felt “out of the system” arid therefore unable to manipulate it to better their position; and — A stigma attaching to the unemployed, such as the use of the term, "dole bludgers,” was very destructive. “Generally, people who try suicide feel there is no escape from their situation. So they try to end it.” Dr McDonald said.