FOUR OUT OF every five suicides in Ireland in 2011 was by a man.

The Central Statistics Office today released the Vital Statistics figures for 2011, which revealed that 554 suicides, over 10 a week, were carried out in the year.

458 of those were carried out by men, with 96 women taking their own lives.

Overall, that number was up on 495 in 2010.

Joan Freeman, the founder of Pieta House, says that the overall figure loses impact.

“When you say that 458 men died by suicide it washes over people.

But put it like this: this time next week ten people will be dead and eight of them are men.

“If that was deaths on the road, there would be an outrage.”

Earlier this year, Pieta House launched a campaign specifically targeted at promoting men’s mental health.

Freeman says that communication is key.

“Men won’t ask for help. Most men think that they will be able to fix it themselves or what they’re feeling will pass.”

Freeman says that making people more aware of the signs of suicidal thoughts was key.

“It’s like the stroke ads, where people are told to recognise the signs of a stroke.

“We want people to recognise the signs and not be afraid of being that link between a person and organisations like Pieta House.”

Helplines:

• Samaritans 1850 60 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.org

• Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634

• Console 1800 201 890

• Aware 1890 303 302

• Pieta House 01 601 0000 or email mary@pieta.ie

• Childline 1800 66 66 66

Read: Pieta House launches ‘Mind Our Men’ to reduce male suicide