Paora Joseph, a clinical psychologist, discusses New Zealand's high suicide rate, particularly among young people. He argues that suicide is a social issue rather than just an individual one, and that recent emphasis on career success has left many youth feeling they have no value if they do not have paid work. Joseph believes both the government and society must ensure young people, especially Māori, feel they have a meaningful place and that their contributions are valued. His upcoming film on suicide aims to help those who have lost loved ones to suicide deal with their grief and regret.

1. Gulf News, 29 October 201514 N E W S
High suicide rate reflects
social disconnections
When an average of 10 people take their
own lives in New Zealand each week,
our society has to take a thorough look
at itself, says Piritahi Hau Ora clinical
psychologist Paora Joseph.
“Suicideisnotanindividualproblem–
it’sacommunityissueandit’sanational
issue,” he says.
In 2011, almost twice as many young
people committed suicide as those in
older age groups, with 19.3 deaths per
100,000 people aged 15 to 24.
MrJosephsaysrecentsocialemphasis
on career success and material wealth
hasleftmanyyoungpeoplewithasense
that they have no value.
He says it is vital that youth feel that
they have something worthwhile to
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contribute, whether they have paid
work or not.
“By killing themselves, young people
are saying, “where is our place? You
have not given us a place” and it’s true.
We’re not ensuring that their contribu-
tion is valued.
“The government has to take re-
sponsibility for that because it’s based
on values. Maori people value the land
andthisgovernmenthasbeensellingthe
land and the fishing and the sea – selling
everything.
“If all the land is going into foreign
ownership, where’s your turangawae-
wae,where’stheplaceforfuturegenera-
tions?Theydon’thaveaplaceunlessthey
are rich or have wealthy parents.
“Howdoweexpectyoungpeopletobe
stable in a politically and economically
unstable environment?” he asks.
Generally, people are not encouraged
toliveinclosecommunitiesandfeelings
of alienation, isolation and disconnec-
tionareriskfactorsthatleadsomepeople
to take their own lives.
Island suicide rates improving
Waiheke has tackled the issue of
suicide head-on in the last year and
suicide statistics on the island are
beginning to improve.
Although two Waiheke residents,
both aged in their sixties, have com-
mitted suicide in the past year, the
year before, eight people are believed
to have committed suicide.
An average of five people a year
havetakentheirownlivesonWaiheke
over recent years, while a further 20
to 25 people have attempted suicide
each year.
In 2013, Waiheke Island Suicide
Intervention Group was set up and
now about 40 health professionals,
counsellors, and community and
police representatives are working
togethertotrytosavelivesbyco-ordi-
natingsuicidepreventionservicesand
providing information for residents.
Piritahi Hau Ora has also set up
Piripoho, a support group for people
who have experienced the loss of a
loved one through suicide.
TheHauOrahasalsohelpedagroupof
youngpeopletoformtheWaihekeYouth
Collective, which offers peer support
and raises awareness about suicide.
For information and support about
suicide, phone Lifeline 0800 543
354, Kids Line 0800 543 754, Alcohol
and Drug Help Line 0800 787 797,
Family Violence Info Line 0800 456
450, or Piritahi Hau Ora 372 0022.
Websites such as www.sparx.org.
nz, www.youthline.co.nz and www.
piritahihauora.org are also available.
Rose Davis
Rather than running away
when someone is feeling
vulnerable, we need to embrace
them.
– Paora Joseph
‘
’“Families and extended families are
split, so we don’t have the same sup-
port structures that we had once upon
a time.”
Although suicide claims more than
500 lives in New Zealand most years, far
more attention is paid to the road toll of
about 300 deaths a year.
“It’s a significant problem, but we
sweep it under the carpet. We need to
do the opposite and be fearless.
“Rather than running away when
someone is feeling vulnerable, we need
to embrace them.”
MrJosephhaschosentodevotemuch
of his life to preventing suicide and rais-
ing awareness about the problem. He
encountered Maori youth suicide while
workingasayouthworkerinSouthAuck-
land in 1987 and wrote a dissertation on
Maori youth suicide in the late 1990s.
Alsoanaward-winningfilmmaker,his
latest feature film is a drama documen-
tary about suicide, called Maui’s Hook,
which is due out next year.
A Waiheke family is among the five
familieswhotalkabouttheirexperience
of losing a loved one in the film.
Mr Joseph hopes his film will convey
that people who have taken their own
lives can only be free when those who

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lovedthemareliberatedfrom
regret and remorse.
Maui’s Hook also encour-
ages people to appreciate
their short lives.
“One of the biggest edu-
cations yet to come is on
death, because until you can
appreciate death, you can’t
appreciate life.
“If we don’t know things
don’t last, we lose our ap-
preciation for each other and
what’s around us.”
Hesaysyoungpeopleoften
have few opportunities to
gain awareness about death
and may not realise that
suicide is final.
“Young people don’t have
a deep understanding or
knowledgeofdeath,because
wedon’tanylongertakethem
tofuneralsortangihangaand
we don’t talk about death”.
Young people also need to
learn that suffering is normal
and find ways to get through
it, he says.
“Struggle and death is part
of life and it brings a greater
knowledge and wealth to
life.
If all the land is
going into foreign
ownership, where’s
your turangawaewae,
where’s the place for
future generations?
– Paora Joseph
‘
’
By killing
themselves, young
people are saying,
“Where is our place?
You have not given us
a place” and it’s true.
– Paora Joseph
‘
’
“You don’t want to get rid
ofsufferingbykillingyourself
before your expiry date. It
willcomesoonenough,don’t
rush it.”
The suicide rate among
young Maori is particularly
high, with 36.4 deaths per
100,000 in 2011, and the rate
for young Maori men is the
highest in the OECD.
Mr Joseph says European
colonisation has left Maori
facing particular challenges
in terms of having a healthy
sense of identity.
People of mixed race also
have to walk in two worlds.
“Many Maori youth feel
disconnected from part of
themselves. For a Maori per-
son to feel fully connected
they need to feel connected
to their tupuna (ancestors),
whenua (the land) and atua
or kaitiaki (guardians)”.
Hesaysit’simportantnotto
judge people who find them-
selves in the painful state of
contemplating suicide.
“You don’t know what’s
going on for them and if you
judge them, you can’t help
them out of that vulnerable
situation.”
Risk factors for suicide in-
cludeeverythingfrommental
illnesstochildabuseanddrug
or alcohol problems, while
triggers that push people
over the edge can be crises
in relationships, being fired
or expelled and facing major
loss or illness.
The signs that a person
needshelpincludewithdraw-
ing and any sudden changes
in behaviour.
While young people are
more at risk, the numbers
of older people committing
suicide has risen sharply in
recent years.
“That’s a reflection of so-
ciety, because the elderly
are isolated and don’t have
a sense of purpose, because
they’re not included in com-
munal activities.”
Sadly, when a loved one
commits suicide, those left
behind often blame them-
selves,otherfamilymembers,
or the person who died.
“Blame is not going to help
and ultimately, that person
made that decision. You
can’t make anybody commit
suicide”.
Those who have lost a
familymembertosuicideare
particularly at risk of taking
their own lives.
“Oncethere’samodelinthe
family or the community, it
becomesalotharderbecause
suicide becomes an option.
“We need to close the
doors and say suicide is not
an option.
“Where’s the proof it’s any
betteronceyoukillyourself?”
Rose Davis
Waiheke psychologist and filmmaker Paora Joseph plans to release
his film about suicide next year.