The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Crisis Centre hotline has experienced an increase in calls compared to last year, particularly concerning suicidal ideation.

Dr Sandra Dean-Patterson, the centre’s director, said the majority of calls will be persons who are experiencing violence in the home, or they know if somebody’s being abused or under a lot of stress or maybe having suicidal thoughts.

“There’s a greater awareness of the stress and the suicidal attempts, the reports of suicide in the media. I think it’s a greater consciousness and awareness of it. So I do think people maybe calling more as a result of that. At the same time, there’s an increase in stress in the country.”

She estimates the calls are predominantly women, but men calling as well.

During the holiday season, it is typically for increase stress level due more financial burden and family dynamics. Dr Dean-Patterson said the centre has not experienced increased calls during the holidays in previous years.

“I don’t know what this year is going to be like, but you know, many times persons are distracted by the celebration and the Junkanoo and those kinds of things, but after Christmas is probably going to be likely to see more calls, especially people who overspend and overdue during the holiday.”

Police report an alleged suicide attempt of 25-year-old woman on Sunday. Initial reports indicate that shortly after 7.00 p.m. female allegedly ingested a chemical liquid while at a home on Winds Lane.

Police statistics released in April suicides decreased by 25 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022, attempted suicides increased by a remarkable 86 per cent.

Six people completed suicide in 2023. Eight did so in 2022. Five of last year’s suicide victims were men. Eighty people attempted suicide last year versus 43 in 2022.

Last year, more women attempted suicide than men: 45 versus 35. Known as the gender paradox, research has shown that while women have higher rates of suicide behaviour than men, mortality from suicide attempts is higher among men than women.

 Fifteen women between 18 and 30 attempted suicide last year; 13 women between 31 and 45 did so. The others were younger than 18.

Twelve men between 18 and 30 attempted suicide; 10 between 31 and 45 did so, and seven between 46 and 60 tried to take their life.