Expert Links Spike In Golden Gate Bridge Suicides To Poor Economy
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - The poor economy may be one of the factors behind a sharp rise in suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge this year, according to a San Francisco suicide prevention expert.
At least 24 people have jumped to their deaths from the iconic span so far this year, according to statistics compiled by the Bay Citizen. Officials recorded 25 suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge for all of 2010.
Eve Meyer, director of San Francisco Suicide Prevention said the stress of long-term unemployment or bill collectors banging on the door can lead someone to believe there is no other way out.
"A calamity happens to a person, a year usually goes by before they call us," she said.
State labor statistics show nearly 500,000 Californians have been out of work for at least two years.
KCBS' Barbara Taylor Reports:
The sooner a person reaches out for help, the better the chances they can be saved from making an impulsive decision with permanent consequences, Meyer said.
"It's the people who do not call us that we worry about the most," she said.
San Francisco Suicide Prevention has launched a campaign urging people to call its hotline, 1-800-273-8255, or to visit the organization's website to talk to a counselor.
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