People Before Profit Cllr Maeve O’Neill said,
“Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Our thoughts are with all those who have died by suicide, their family and friends.
Today is an opportunity to continue to raise awareness and demand proper funding for mental health services
The number of people with mental ill health in Derry and the North is much higher than the rest of the UK.
The reasons for this are not mysterious – it is a glaring example of the failure of consecutive governments in Westminster and Stormont to tackle the root causes of mental ill health and fund mental health resources in our communities.
More people have died by suicide in the North since the Good Friday Agreement than were killed in the Troubles. We deserve and need so much better.
Raising awareness and destigmatising mental ill health is crucial but we also need to build a society that provides the resources to allow everyone to live a healthy, dignified and fulfilling life. If Stormont was serious about promoting positive mental well-being, this is where they would start.
If you or someone you know might be at risk of suicide – The 24/7 number at Lifeline provides mental health crisis intervention and immediate help: