The Catholic Weekly

Sydney
29 June 2003

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Society needs to ‘share pain of others’

Sr Veronica addresses the Brisbane conference

By Damir Govorcin

“Our faith tells us that pain is a part of life, but as a society we haven’t faced up to the painful side of our existence”, says Sr Veronica Brady.

Instead society measures a person’s value by their income, how beautiful they are and how much fun they have, which is not a recipe for human life.

“It’s a fantasy world which doesn’t help you cope with the dark times we all have to face,” she says.

Sr Veronica, a Loreto nun and honorary senior research fellow in the department of English at the University of WA, was speaking in Bris-bane at the national conference of Suicide Prevention Australia.

Statistics show the national suicide rate peaked in 1997 with 2700 deaths, while in 2001 there were 2454 deaths - 1935 males and 519 females.

The highest suicide rate was found in men aged 25-44. Rates of attempted suicides were also high.

Alcohol and drugs, unemployment, depression and family break-ups are regarded as contributing factors.

Sr Veronica says our culture tells us we should all be happy, successful and smiling, but not all
of us can be successful.

“As a society we need to talk more and show sympathy and learn to share the pain of others,” she said. “We are frightened to deal with people who are depressed.

“Loneliness is also a huge problem. People feel like freaks, the odd person out. They have to be reassured they are not alone.”

Sr Veronica says that religion can also be a part of the problem for a person in pain, but we must take comfort in the knowledge that “Jesus also suffered”.

“People feel that God is watching their every move, and puts a black mark against them when they do something wrong,” she says.

“Faith is all about trust and can gives us great strength and comfort in times of trouble.

“But everything needs to be proved in our culture.”

Prof Ian Webster, chairman of the National Advisory Council of Suicide Prevention, says suicide rates are up in rural areas where unemployment is high.

“When you lose your job it’s a personal assault on your sense of purpose and self-worth,” he said.

“Men use alcohol and drugs at a higher level than women, and find it difficult coping with family break-ups.

“Men aren’t good at expressing their emotions verbally, so they tend to bottle things up which can lead to depression.”