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No increase in Victorian suicide rate as calls to helplines surge in pandemic
By Rachel Eddie and Bianca Hall
Lifeline received 1000 daily calls from Victorians for the first time ever this week, but there has been no increase in the number of people dying by suicide during the coronavirus pandemic.
State Coroner John Cain on Thursday released fresh data on the number of suicide deaths between January 1 and August 26, showing there were two fewer suicides in Victoria compared with the same time last year.
State Coroner John Cain.Credit: Louie Douvis
Between January 1 and August 26, 466 Victorians took their own lives. This was broadly consistent with the same period last year, when 468 Victorians died by suicide, and in 2018, when 461 Victorians took their own lives in the eight months to August 26. The numbers are higher than the same period in 2016, when there were 420 suicides.
The findings contradict widespread assumptions that the number of suicides had been higher this year under the pressures of COVID-19 lockdowns, anxiety about the pandemic, job losses and financial insecurity.
Of the 466 Victorians who died by suicide this year, 350 were men, and most were aged between 22 and 55.
Lifeline chief executive John Brogden said more than 1000 Victorians called for help on both Monday and Tuesday, for the first time ever in a 24-hour period.
Calls dropped back below 1000 again on Wednesday, he said.
There was a 22 per cent spike in the number of calls from Victorians in the three days after nine public housing towers were placed into a hard lockdown in July, rising to 30 per cent when Premier Daniel Andrews announced all of Melbourne would return to stage three restrictions a few days later.
While noting the pandemic would be catastrophic for mental health, Mr Brogden said stability in the suicide rate showed funding and services were catching people dealing with "wartime" stresses.
"Governments, to their enormous credit, state and federal, came to the party really quickly to joints like Lifeline because they knew that calls would go through the roof. And our calls have gone through the roof. But the hope here is that we're getting to people, we're getting the services to people so that they aren’t getting to the point of suicide."
He expects the mental health crisis to worsen in the long-term because of economic instability and expects more calls to Lifeline when JobKeeper tapers off from September.
Before COVID-19, Lifeline was receiving about 2500 calls a day nationally. That peaked on Good Friday with 3197 calls, the most calls Lifeline has ever received in a day. There are now about 3000 calls a day, about one-third of which come from Victoria.
Modelling from the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre in May predicted there could be a 25 per cent surge in the number of suicides during the pandemic.
A viral Facebook post earlier this month falsely claimed suicide rates were up 200 per cent during the current lockdown.
Judge Cain said the Coroners Office would release monthly reports on suicide trends to support safe and open conversations about suicide and suicide prevention.
"There is clearly growing awareness and community concern regarding mental health and suicide – and everyone should have access to the facts," Judge Cain said.
All Victorian deaths that are suspected to be from non-natural causes are referred to the Coroners Court.
The court reviews reported deaths daily and adds suspected suicides to the Victorian Suicide Register, before investigating their circumstances more fully.
While the suicide figures reported on Thursday have not all been subject to inquests, the Coroners Court said changes to the register after an inquest are typically minor and those initial assessments are correct more than 95 per cent of the time.
Beyond Blue chief executive Georgie Harman said it was important to deal with facts and thanked the coroner for releasing the monthly data.
"The really important thing is that we need to be absolutely vigilant about this, to keep the conversation going and to work together to stop suicides. That’s not just governments, that's all of us," Ms Harman said.
Beyond Blue this month released figures showing two out of three calls to its coronavirus mental wellbeing support service nationally were coming from Victoria, up from 43 per cent in June.
Headspace chief executive Jason Trethowan said 95 per cent of consultations with young people in Victoria were now done online, compared to just 10 per cent prior to the pandemic.
"Although most young people will spontaneously recover from some of the mental health impacts that COVID has produced for many, the impacts have the potential to cause long-lasting distress," Mr Trethowan said.
Professor Patrick McGorry, executive director of youth health service Orygen, told Victoria's public accounts and estimates committee on Thursday that he expected the suicide rate would rise if demand for face-to-face services wasn’t addressed.
"We can expect somewhere between a 25 and 50 per cent increase in suicide risk, especially in young people, particularly if we don't actually invest in services," Professor McGorry said.
"There's indications that that surge is really happening now.
"We already know that there's a [a rise in] self-harm presenting to emergency departments ... and some suicide clusters."
If you or anyone you know needs support call Lifeline on 131 114, or Beyond Blue's coronavirus mental wellbeing support service on 1800 512 348.