Government Assistance for Families Bereaved by Suicide
In recent weeks the government has shown its willingness to respond with compassion and active support for those who experience a disaster. Its response to the Christchurch earthquake and the Southland storm are examples. It has provided assistance to those affected by the fall of South Canterbury Finance. In stark contrast, families bereaved by suicide have been cut loose by the government. The meagre supports previously in place have been removed. Does this mean they consider the sudden, unexpected and often violent deaths of our loved ones - often in our own homes - less of a disaster than damage to our homes or the loss of our savings? Or does it just mean that because we are silenced and therefore largely invisible, there are no votes in supporting us? What do you think?
Hello all. My heart goes out to those of you who have lost family members to suicide.
What is notably absent from the official suicide statistics is cause. While depression, guilt and life events are without doubt the cause of many deaths - further analysis needs to be done. As much as it pains families, it will only be then that a clear picture can be gained.
Some of you have lost children to SSRIs like Prozac, Cipramil, Aropax and so on. Those deaths should be noted by the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring. Please, for the sake of others, if you have lost a child who was on these medications, ensure that his or her suicide is listed as a potential adverse event.
There are no black box warnings here, nor is there any legal requirement for drugs companies to provide them.
I am very lucky to be alive: I lost 18 years of my life to Parkinson's-like symptoms and last year almost died from serotonin toxicity (also called serotonin syndrome). For months I have lobbied Medsafe and MPs. I contacted the manufacturers, who told me they were sorry I'd been hurt, but reiterated that there was no legal requirement for them to come clean. Not so in Canada, the US and Britain, where authorities forced 10 manufacturers to write "Dear Doctor" letters to EVERY prescriber in those countries, outlining increased youth suicidality and serious neurological side effects. Some children have developed mania while on those drugs and have gone on to be treated with Lithium and other major antipsychotics due to NZ doctors' blissful ignorance of the facts. We MUST fight this. The toll is too great.
I sent an adverse reaction report to CARM a few weeks after Toran died. Its taken them 2 years to acknowledge receipt of it and to inform me that someone else also made a report but that I'm not allowed to know who or what they said. The report in the Herald on Toran's inquest yesterday covered the fact that despite the role of fluoxetine in his death being the focus of the inquest, the Coroner simply refused to make a finding on the issue. Medsafe said they want leglislation to allow them to put warnings on SSRIs and that s25 of the Medicines Act which allows doctors to prescribe off label was being abused but again the Coroner ignored that evidence in his findings and recommendations. I agree with you Lindy that we must keep filing reports with CARM (this can be done online), fighting for accountability and change and challenging the system. That is one of the key reasons CASPER was established.
Under the Official Information Act - and more particularly the Privacy Act - it is your legal right to see any information held which relates to your son.
I suggest you contact CARM and remind them of that fact.
I intend to contact the Coroner who presided over your son's case and the Wellington Coroner, Gary Evans (who is far more open in his opinions and more willing to stand up for those who die).
They are in the strongest position to ensure that the Government listens.
Medsafe is hamstrung by outdated and ineffectual legislation. Successive Governments have failed to address this. They forget that as MPs they are our elected representatives and their role is also to PROTECT.
You, Toran and everyone else affected by this gross mismanagement are not statistics, you are human beings with Human Rights that have been - and continue to be - abused.
Suicide/mental illness need to be redefined as neurological dysfunction - a PHYSICAL problem. Because changes in brain chemistry and function are just that - just as in Parkinson's Disease, MS and so on. I am tired of the dismissive way in which even psychiatrists handle the mentally ill and their families. How is it that such discrimination can persist among the medical profession? John Kirwan's "reach out for help" message has helped sufferers, but done nothing to fix the discriminatory approach pervading much of medicine.
Also, suicides can not be lumped together. There are multiple, often complex reasons for suicide that do not always involve simple depression/anxiety.
Yes we have to become visible.
Unless suicide is dealt with publicly and achnowledged as
violent and unpredictable death, a murder
despite rather than because of their family upbringing
and which is currently destroying families and homes more surely than any NZ earthquake to date,
then we perpetuate the damage being inflicted.
I never knew anyone in real life who had lost someone dear to them to suicide..
I know this invisibility is because of the pain, but it translates as shame
and now those of us who have survived need to stand up and be counted,
to have a collective voice for those who are still suffering too much to deal with it..
and for those who will kill themselves today and tomorrow
because we know this happens every day in New Zealand.
At last here is a place to voice our protest
at the deafening SILENCE.
I feel an infinite sadness within myself on this particular topic. Conselling and support of all kinds MUST be forthcoming for families affected by suicide as those left behind are the most severely affected by the Why? As a friend a mother and an auntie, I have supported friends and whanau alike (to the best of my ability) but the government and social agencies must help to support those left behind in these tragic and unexpected circumstances. I personally believe that this is more than a government problem, churches must accept that suicide is a social problem with too much stigma and shame attached! And therefore support members of their own congregations instead of turning them away when they need love and support the most! Stop shutting the door in their faces and refusing to conduct services for suicide victims.
suicide is a disaster with devastating affects as much as any earthquake, tsunami etc with far more devastating and far reaching effects.
No there are no votes no hoopla or tikatape parades in supporting families affected by suicide but with the current statistics, this group is growing, and suicide doesn't discriminate!
And you can't catch it by putting your arms around me when I need you to!
This is a toughie. I made a comment on close up last night regarding the me ,me ,me attitude that some of the folks of Christchurch are adapting in that they want everything done now, and they want it for themselves, and they want the council and the govt to pay.
Like most of us I pay taxes, and want to see my dollar work to the best advantage. To my way of thinking a mass disaster as Christchurch has had, we get to see the coming together of a community, where all the agencies fall into place and are out there asp. They knock on doors reach out in the street and the community also does the same. Neighbours help neighbours and so it goes on.
Now with us, the families of suicides, we get the embarressment of agencies (sometimes) who do not know how to approch us, cannot communicate, and in general leave us more confused and upset than at the beginning. we are usually left alone to muddle our way through the agonizing time of shock, mourning, funerals and all the trappings, and with no emotional, or finacial, assistance.
I genuineally feel for the people of Christchurch, and would not be in their shoes, yet I also feel that they do not even close to feeling what we go through at a loss of a loved one through suicide.
But no agencies knocked on my door, and took me by the hand and lead me to safety in my own mind and space. Neighbours looked the other way in embarressment and we were left to fend for ourselves.No agencies rang my phone and said we are here for you.
There is no planning for suicides, they have not prepared us for what lies ahead when they have gone. They are hurt and frightened, and leave us hurt and frightened, with no support, no agencies to assist, and no finacial support. ( What little there was has now been taken from us with the goverment and ACC cuts)
Politicans will not ignore us.This is a hot potato that they will not touch. They have no conscience vote on this. It is not a vote getter.They sqirm and shift in their seats, and change the subject.
We the families of suicides suffer the stigma, the shame, the loss,the idignities, and unlike other deaths that happen all around us, we cannot talk out in the open regarding suicides. It cannot be reported. The cause of death is never mentioned. Our son hung himself, and I am not trying to cover up. Why?, well when we meet again I'll ask him, but until then we need to change our way we approach and deal with this insidious disease that is taking over our youth and loved ones.We need to stop the drug culture that medical companies are shoving down our families throats.
Ask and demand from the politicans a change in the laws, and if they turn away then use the vote to change them!! We have a moral right to these changes, and we have an obligation to our loved ones, who the system has let down to continue to ask, demand and fight for this to happen.
Pete and Chrissie Cooper
Agree totally Pete and Chrissy. I spoke to a mother whose 18 year old committed suicide and who was turned down for funding for counselling for her 12 year old surviving son. I know a mother who had to sell her dead daughters possessions to fund her funeral. I lost my home after having to pay $70,000 for an inquest to try to find some answers to my son's suicide and ensure changes were made that prevented other children dying. The government funds a commercial cleaning service for the families of murder victims but familes of suicide victims have to clean up the mess themselves. I don't want to compete with those families, or the earthquake survivors or others in need or argue who has it worse, I just want the same understanding of needs and provision of support for families bereaved by suicide that others get. I have met with many MPs over the past months and none are prepared to go beyond sympathetic noises for my individual situation. That doesn't help!!!! I say we make this an election issue, we make sure that there are votes to be won or lost on this issue and do whatever it takes to make that happen. Forty thousand people marching down Queen Street got the government to take notice over mining. One hundred people representing each of the 541 victims last year and we would have ourselves a revolution...
Sounds like a plan is forming. Lets go girl!!
Here is a starting point for those of you who believe your children/family members died as a result of taking medication.
If you have ANY packets of the following medications:
Cipramil, Effexor-XR, Prozac, Aropax or any generics labelled fluoxetine, venlafaxine or carry the terms SSRI or SNRI.
Open them and check for any data sheets inside. Look at the contraindications/side effects.
If the boxes have leaflets inside, they are legally deemed - under the Medicines Act 1981 - to be advertising.
If they do not mention increased youth suicidality, tremors, dystonia, monitoring for changes of behaviour, those leaflets are a breach of the Medicines Act and the manufacturers can (but are not, because the cost of Medsafe mounting prosecutions versus the fine for misleading the public is only $1000) be taken to Court.
There is room under present legislation for families/those injured by treatment to mount a civil case claiming exceptional damages.
If you find any leaflets, please post a reply noting the name of the medication, the manufacturer and when the prescription was filled. Hold on to them and I will provide a mailing address.