Category : Wales
Date : 16.03.2004
Printable version
Suicide among
young men has doubled in the last 20 years, a shocking fact that's behind
the National Assembly's recent decision to fund research by the University
of Wales, Cardiff.
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Suicide is the biggest killer among 18 to 35-year-old
males.
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales' current affairs series, Taro Naw (Tuesday 16 March, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales
on S4C) looks at this sensitive subject and speaks to those who have
lost children to suicide.
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They include Paul Flynn AM for Newport West. His daughter,
Rachel, committed suicide 25 years ago.
"I would happily give up everything - my house, my car, all my
material goods to spend half an hour with Rachel," he says.
Whilst the number of suicides among older men is decreasing, suicide
among younger men is on the increase, and is four times higher than
in women of the same age.
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Childline launched a helpline, Boys Allowed, to target
this age group.
Evidence shows that younger men find it difficult to discuss problems
and often come to the end of their tether before being able to look
for help or pick up the phone to discuss their worries.
The programme highlights the pain and emptiness a suicide death causes.
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In the case of Ann Parry, from Sychdyn near Mold, losing
her son Lewis 10 years ago made her set up Papyrus, a group that tries
to prevent suicide among the young.
"You have to keep talking to your children," she says.
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"It doesn't matter what they say to you. And don't
be cross with them - what you see is not the same as the person underneath."
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The programme also features Eirlys Jones, from St Asaph,
whose son Rhys Meirion Jones took his own life last year.
"Rhys was a person who loved people and loved going places,"
he says.
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"That was the most important thing in his life.
And I do feel that his wish would be for us to carry on."
Taro Naw, Tuesday 16 March 2004, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales on S4C, 8.25pm
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English subtitles available on Teletext 888
