Newly separated most at risk of suicidal thoughts

Men and women are most likely to have suicidal thoughts within a year of a marriage or de-facto relationship breakup, new ANU research has found. The vulnerability may be due to the trauma of the breakup, along with subsequent changes in social networks affecting people's sense of belonging, said lead author of the study Dr Philip Batterham, from the ANU Centre for Mental Health Research. "The prevalence of suicidal thoughts among recently separated men and women is three times higher than for those who remain married, or in de-facto relationships," he said. He said the study highlights the need for governments and health services to better target mental health services to people who have recently separated from a marriage or a relationship. "It is important to intervene early, to reduce suicidal thoughts and suicidal behaviours, before they end up as a suicide," he said. Dr Batterham's study began in 2000 and has looked at more than 6,600 people aged between 20 and 64 from Canberra and nearby Queanbeyan. The study investigated whether periods before and after a relationship breakup presented increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours.