COST OF LIVING NOW THE BIGGEST MENTAL HEALTH CONCERN
A survey by Suicide Prevention Australia has found 40 per cent of Australians reported cost-of-living pressures and personal debt has caused them elevated distress compared with this time last year.
The YouGov survey of 1,024 adults taken in August this year, also found frontline services ranked it the biggest risk to suicide rates.
Nieves Murray, the CEO of Suicide Prevention Australia, says the findings have coincided with a substantial rise in demand for suicide prevention services, 88 per cent of which have registered an increase in demand over the same 12 months – up from 78 per cent.
Respondents suggested solutions including electricity and gas subsidies, increasing social security payments above the poverty line, building more social housing, removing negative gearing and offering early intervention for people who have rental increases.
Source: ABC, 26 September 2022