Online help for people who may be suicidal ‘potentially harmful’

Online help for Irish people who are feeling suicidal is variable and potentially harmful, according to a study which is highly critical of the information provided by State and voluntary agencies.

The study, published in the Irish Medical Journal, found websites were difficult to navigate and highly variable in content. Phone credit was required in many cases in order to contact helplines, and opening hours and locations were limited.

Most Government-run websites referred people to the voluntary sector, mainly the Samaritans.

On these websites, information on fundraising and volunteering overshadowed sources of help.

The authors, from Tallaght and other Dublin hospitals, say it is of concern that the “front page” resulting from a Google search based on appropriate terms included links to painless methods to complete suicide and other harmful and explicit content. The Australian government banned the promotion of suicide methods on the internet 10 years ago, they point out.

Voluntary suicide help websites accounted for seven out of 12 hits appearing on the first page of a Google search, but most required multiple clicks to access helpful content, according to the study.

“Face to face support was minimal, most sites had limited opening hours, considerable geographical spread and were not cost-free,” the report said.

The study says websites run by Irish professional medical organisations did not make it to the front page of the Google search. The authors suggest professional, voluntary and statutory agencies should work together to generate an enhanced and co-ordinated, frequently updated and evaluated “front-page e-presence targeted on specific groups.”