A record number of people are calling the Samaritans’ helplines in both parts of Ireland the charity has announced.
The ongoing recession has been a major factor in the increase as more and more people are struggling to cope under the psychological strain.
In the Republic of Ireland, the charity experienced a nine per cent increase in the number of calls, according to its annual Impact Report launched yesterday.
Northern Ireland Samaritans are expected to report a three-fold increase in the number of people in despair due to financial worries when the UK figures are released later this month.
The Irish Samaritans’ report also noted an “increase in the intensity” of the calls.
Suzanne Costello of the charity said: “The recession is placing a huge psychological strain on people’s lives. Samaritans-trained volunteers are providing a round-the-clock emotional service to support people who may be struggling to cope.
“At this difficult time, it is important that everyone working to prevent suicide comes together and makes sure people get the help they need.
“This way, we can optimise the services available to people who need them without wasting resources.”
Ms Costello said that, over the past decade in particular, mental health and suicide-prevention have been moving up the agenda.
“As an organisation which has been working in this area for 40 years, we very much welcome this. Increased services and visibility are helping to break down the stigma associated with mental health and suicide. However, it’s equally important that a balance of services exists, so that people with varying degrees of needs are catered for and that no one who looks for help slips through the net because the services are not there when needed.”
From November 2010 to October 2011 a total of 400,357 calls were made to its service in the Republic alone.
Samaritans can be contacted at their Belfast branch on 9066 4422 or on 08457 90 90 90.