Suicide toll `should be front page news`

Suicide deaths should be widely reported, just like the road toll to raise awareness
of the extent of the problem, mental health advocate Patrick McGorry says.
The Australian of the Year told the National Press Club on Wednesday there were over
2,000 mostly preventable deaths from suicide every year.
"That's an avoidable tragedy every four hours," Prof McGorry said in Canberra.
"Suicide is the biggest killer of adults up to the age of 40.
"Let's bring it out in the open."
Prof McGorry said suicide was a public health scandal 40 per cent greater than the
road toll. Last year, 1,509 Australians died on the nation's roads.
He said there should be a campaign to reduce the suicide toll on the same scale as
the effort directed towards cutting the carnage on our roads.
"It should be like the road toll," Prof McGorry told reporters after his press club
speech.
"It should be on the news every night. There should be a toll on the front of every
newspaper, every day.
"People aren't aware of these facts and figures because of this shroud of silence
over this issue."
The Australian of the Year's comments come just weeks after a federal parliamentary
committee recommended official suicide statistics be published at least twice a
year.
The statistics should be released "together with information about available
services and support", according to the Senate committee report The Hidden Toll:
Suicide in Australia.
The committee, which conducted a wide-ranging inquiry into suicide in Australia,
heard the media traditionally avoided reporting suicide as it was nervous about
encouraging copycat cases.
But The Hidden Toll states: "A tension has developed, between the recognised need to
ensure responsible and accurate media representation of mental illness and suicide,
and to increase public awareness and knowledge about the incidence of suicide in
Australia."
The report recommends current reporting guidelines be reviewed and research
conducted to determine the most appropriate way for the public to be informed of
suicide.
On Wednesday, Prof McGorry agreed.
"I think those (current) guidelines are way off," he told reporters.
"They need to be revised.
"They prevent you guys from doing your job - which is to make it clear that this is
a big public health issue."
The mental health expert said the media needed to be careful not to report suicides
in a sentimental or romantic way.
"But that's easy to avoid because it (suicide) is a terrible thing.
"It destroys families."
The fear that media stories would encourage copycat cases was unfounded, Prof
McGorry said.
"The evidence of that is pretty weak.
"It's usually related to celebrity suicide, or when the event is glamorised or the
means are described in detail."
The Hidden Toll notes the number of suicides in Australia is under-reported.
It calls for reforms to improve the accuracy of statistics, including standardising
coronial and police practices across the country.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact
Lifeline on 13 11 14 or SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263).