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| Can railway suicides be cut? | Can railway suicides be cut? |
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| Any suicide is tragic, but the 200 a year that happen on the railways are particularly shocking. The first national strategy in dealing with them hopes to cut the number by a fifth. But can people who want to end their own lives in this way really be helped? | Any suicide is tragic, but the 200 a year that happen on the railways are particularly shocking. The first national strategy in dealing with them hopes to cut the number by a fifth. But can people who want to end their own lives in this way really be helped? |
| It was morning rush-hour, so the platform was busy and Penny was one of many people waiting for the Edinburgh train. | It was morning rush-hour, so the platform was busy and Penny was one of many people waiting for the Edinburgh train. |
| As the Intercity 125 drew into the station, she jumped in front of it. | As the Intercity 125 drew into the station, she jumped in front of it. |
| "It's strange, but it was as if I went into it," she says, recalling those moments 14 years ago. "It all went black and I remember waking up underneath it. | "It's strange, but it was as if I went into it," she says, recalling those moments 14 years ago. "It all went black and I remember waking up underneath it. |
| "It was dark and I thought 'Is this it? Am I dead?' Then I heard a Tannoy and some voices, and I could feel diesel dripping on my face. | "It was dark and I thought 'Is this it? Am I dead?' Then I heard a Tannoy and some voices, and I could feel diesel dripping on my face. |
| ARE YOU AFFECTED BY THIS? Samaritans provides emotional support, 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or thoughts of suicide Its number is 08457 90 90 90 | ARE YOU AFFECTED BY THIS? Samaritans provides emotional support, 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or thoughts of suicide Its number is 08457 90 90 90 |
| "I don't remember anything else, I had passed out and I came round in hospital. But when I did, there was no relief. I thought: 'I can't even do that right.'" | "I don't remember anything else, I had passed out and I came round in hospital. But when I did, there was no relief. I thought: 'I can't even do that right.'" |
| Penny had escaped major injury, apart from five stitches on the back of her head, because she had fallen entirely beneath the train. | Penny had escaped major injury, apart from five stitches on the back of her head, because she had fallen entirely beneath the train. |
| Her state of mind that day was divorced from reality, she says. She had a husband she loved, whom she had said goodbye to in the normal way. But work-related stress and the loss of her grandmother had induced her third mental breakdown in 10 years. | Her state of mind that day was divorced from reality, she says. She had a husband she loved, whom she had said goodbye to in the normal way. But work-related stress and the loss of her grandmother had induced her third mental breakdown in 10 years. |
| "I can see the train coming, clear as day," she says, thinking back to the day she tried to take her life. "But how I got there I don't know. It's almost like I was in a trance. | "I can see the train coming, clear as day," she says, thinking back to the day she tried to take her life. "But how I got there I don't know. It's almost like I was in a trance. |
| "I already thought I was dead and I thought I wanted to see my gran. Even talking about it now, I'm thinking it sounds odd." | "I already thought I was dead and I thought I wanted to see my gran. Even talking about it now, I'm thinking it sounds odd." |
| 'No way back' | 'No way back' |
| Unlike other ways that people choose to end their own life, railway suicides endanger and traumatise other people, notably train drivers and railway staff. But to condemn it as "selfish", as some do, annoys Penny, who asked for her real name not to be used. | Unlike other ways that people choose to end their own life, railway suicides endanger and traumatise other people, notably train drivers and railway staff. But to condemn it as "selfish", as some do, annoys Penny, who asked for her real name not to be used. |
| HOW WILL THE £5M BE SPENT? Training for rail and train company staff in identifying and interventionCall-out service whereby staff from 202 Samaritans branches nationwide are ready to attend stations in emergenciesNational communications campaigns increasing awareness of Samaritans' servicesWorking with the media to ensure responsible reporting, reducing the likelihood of copycat suicides | HOW WILL THE £5M BE SPENT? Training for rail and train company staff in identifying and interventionCall-out service whereby staff from 202 Samaritans branches nationwide are ready to attend stations in emergenciesNational communications campaigns increasing awareness of Samaritans' servicesWorking with the media to ensure responsible reporting, reducing the likelihood of copycat suicides |
| "They just don't understand. You don't wake up one morning and say: 'Today, I'm going to do that' They are ill. People who choose this method, it's not a cry for help, they've reached the absolute bottom. | "They just don't understand. You don't wake up one morning and say: 'Today, I'm going to do that' They are ill. People who choose this method, it's not a cry for help, they've reached the absolute bottom. |
| "Part of me somewhere thought that it's a sure-fire method. Usually there's no coming back." | "Part of me somewhere thought that it's a sure-fire method. Usually there's no coming back." |
| For the rail industry, suicides are a commercial headache. Network Rail has to compensate train operating companies for delays and it estimates that suicides cost it £15m a year in this respect. In partnership with the Samaritans, it has invested £5m in the country's first national programme in trying to address it. | For the rail industry, suicides are a commercial headache. Network Rail has to compensate train operating companies for delays and it estimates that suicides cost it £15m a year in this respect. In partnership with the Samaritans, it has invested £5m in the country's first national programme in trying to address it. |
| The money will be spent on a number of measures, including training railway staff in how to spot people on platforms who may be contemplating suicide and how to talk to them. | The money will be spent on a number of measures, including training railway staff in how to spot people on platforms who may be contemplating suicide and how to talk to them. |
| There will also be guidance to the media about reporting incidents in a way that does not prompt copy-cat attempts. For instance, giving too much information about a victim can lead others to identify with him or her. | There will also be guidance to the media about reporting incidents in a way that does not prompt copy-cat attempts. For instance, giving too much information about a victim can lead others to identify with him or her. |
| "There are about 200 suicides per year on the railways," says Rachel Kirby-Rider of the Samaritans. "But in terms of the cost and emotional impact, it's much higher for suicides on the railways than other forms of suicide, because of the effect on witnesses. All suicides are tragic but some train drivers never go back to work afterwards. | "There are about 200 suicides per year on the railways," says Rachel Kirby-Rider of the Samaritans. "But in terms of the cost and emotional impact, it's much higher for suicides on the railways than other forms of suicide, because of the effect on witnesses. All suicides are tragic but some train drivers never go back to work afterwards. |
| 'SUICIDAL IMPULSES USUALLY LAST 30 MINUTES' Feelings of wanting to kill oneself can come in waves and usually last half-an-hour, often triggered by alcoholThese thoughts are not necessarily permanent, and may never return So reducing opportunity in that half-hour - because the law prevents a person buying enough pills, for instance - is key to saving lives Source: Stephen Palmer, author of Suicide: Strategies and Interventions for Reduction and Prevention | |
| "Many people come across suicides on the railway and get very frustrated because they can't get to their meeting because the train is delayed, but there's a lack of understanding why the person has taken their own life." | "Many people come across suicides on the railway and get very frustrated because they can't get to their meeting because the train is delayed, but there's a lack of understanding why the person has taken their own life." |
| More research is needed into why people would choose this method above others, say Mrs Kirby-Rider, but the common profile is middle-aged men who are unemployed or struggling financially, she says. And there are more incidents in areas of social deprivation. | More research is needed into why people would choose this method above others, say Mrs Kirby-Rider, but the common profile is middle-aged men who are unemployed or struggling financially, she says. And there are more incidents in areas of social deprivation. |
| She believes that if people thinking about throwing themselves under a train can get to the Samaritans - maybe referred by a vigilant member of rail staff or because a poster on a platform tells them that help is available - then their chances of recovery are greatly increased. | She believes that if people thinking about throwing themselves under a train can get to the Samaritans - maybe referred by a vigilant member of rail staff or because a poster on a platform tells them that help is available - then their chances of recovery are greatly increased. |
| Reducing opportunities for people to take their own life can dissuade them from doing so, she says. Specific measures in prisons and psychiatric services have helped to bring the national suicide rate down, although it increased last year, perhaps due to the economic difficulties. | Reducing opportunities for people to take their own life can dissuade them from doing so, she says. Specific measures in prisons and psychiatric services have helped to bring the national suicide rate down, although it increased last year, perhaps due to the economic difficulties. |
| Limiting the number of aspirins available in a packet to 16, in 1998, led to a fall in fatal overdoses by a fifth in the following year. | Limiting the number of aspirins available in a packet to 16, in 1998, led to a fall in fatal overdoses by a fifth in the following year. |
| The daredevil and violent element of railway suicide may appeal to people who feel desperate about their life, because it conjures up an illusion of control and self assertion Emmy van DeurzenPsychotherapist | |
| And according to one study, there was a fall in suicide by car exhaust asphyxiation in all age and gender groups, a trend most marked after 1993, when catalytic converters reduced the toxicity of exhaust fumes. "This shows that measures can be taken," says Ms Kirby-Rider. "What we are planning won't eradicate railway suicides but we are hoping for a 20% reduction in five years." | |
| So why do some people choose to end their life in this way? | So why do some people choose to end their life in this way? |
| Railway suicide is a violent method of choice, especially for younger men, who falsely believe that it is a fast, painless, foolproof way to end one's life, says psychotherapist and counselling psychologist Prof Emmy van Deurzen. | Railway suicide is a violent method of choice, especially for younger men, who falsely believe that it is a fast, painless, foolproof way to end one's life, says psychotherapist and counselling psychologist Prof Emmy van Deurzen. |
| "They often get this wrong idea from media reports or fiction and there is higher incidence of railway suicides after a case has been publicised or fictionalised. | "They often get this wrong idea from media reports or fiction and there is higher incidence of railway suicides after a case has been publicised or fictionalised. |
| "There is a 10% survival rate of these attempts, which though low, is still considerable, especially since it usually leads to severe and incapacitating injuries." | "There is a 10% survival rate of these attempts, which though low, is still considerable, especially since it usually leads to severe and incapacitating injuries." |
| There is very little research on the motivations and states of mind of those who have not succeeded or those who have contemplated killing themselves in this way, she says. | There is very little research on the motivations and states of mind of those who have not succeeded or those who have contemplated killing themselves in this way, she says. |
| "The daredevil and violent element of railway suicide may appeal to people who feel desperate about their life, because it conjures up an illusion of control and self assertion. | "The daredevil and violent element of railway suicide may appeal to people who feel desperate about their life, because it conjures up an illusion of control and self assertion. |
| "Even the idea of having an impact on rail transport and the routines of others may be somewhat appealing and may involve a fantasy of revenge on society. | "Even the idea of having an impact on rail transport and the routines of others may be somewhat appealing and may involve a fantasy of revenge on society. |
| "Those who have contemplated killing themselves in this way mention awareness of the potential long-term damage to others as a factor in stopping them." | "Those who have contemplated killing themselves in this way mention awareness of the potential long-term damage to others as a factor in stopping them." |
| This suggests we need better research, both on people's motivations for choosing this method of suicide and on the reasons for which they ultimately abandon the idea, she says. This would help us providing better support to these people and to prevent more of these catastrophic suicides. | This suggests we need better research, both on people's motivations for choosing this method of suicide and on the reasons for which they ultimately abandon the idea, she says. This would help us providing better support to these people and to prevent more of these catastrophic suicides. |
| HOW PRISON SUICIDES FELL A suicide prevention strategy was published in 2007In the following two years, suicides fell by a thirdStaff were trained in spotting warning signs and understanding at-risk prisonersAbout 1,500 prisoners are subject to enhanced care Source: Prison Service | |
| Penny's experience shows that people who have hit rock bottom can still fully recover, and she thinks the best way to tackle the problem would be to chip away at the stigma of mental illness, so people would be more likely to seek help. | Penny's experience shows that people who have hit rock bottom can still fully recover, and she thinks the best way to tackle the problem would be to chip away at the stigma of mental illness, so people would be more likely to seek help. |
| After being pulled out from under the train, she was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and spent two months in hospital for her mental illness. | After being pulled out from under the train, she was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and spent two months in hospital for her mental illness. |
| She never returned to her old workplace and the birth of her first child three years later was a major step on the road to recovery. This happy, confident woman bears no resemblance to the figure on the railway platform all those years ago. | She never returned to her old workplace and the birth of her first child three years later was a major step on the road to recovery. This happy, confident woman bears no resemblance to the figure on the railway platform all those years ago. |
| "Now I've turned my life around and have two great kids and a happy marriage. I'm horrified now, thinking about it, because I loved my husband and my parents." | "Now I've turned my life around and have two great kids and a happy marriage. I'm horrified now, thinking about it, because I loved my husband and my parents." |
| Add your comments on this story, using the form below. | Add your comments on this story, using the form below. |
| I contemplated suicide two years ago, lost my good job, family life was tough with an unwell relative and things just seemed tough and there was no way out. At Glasgow Queen Street, my train home pulled in, and the temptation to jump in front of it was high, but I didn't. I knew it would be a quick end but at the same time I knew I was too young to die so thought the better of it. Today I realise more then ever that was the right thing to do, I have good friends, good family and a job that I like. So don't do it, things can always get better. Steve Taylor, Scotland | |
| Having held a train guard who broke down in tears in my arms after someone threw themselves in front of the train he was working on and also comforted a student who came home to find a house-mate had hanged himself, I do hope that anyone contemplating taking their own life does not do so... anywhere. Other people will always be affected by what appears to be the ultimate selfishness of putting your own unhappiness before anything else. Seek help: it's there from the Samaritans even if you have no friends or feel you cannot turn to them. Stay alive - tomorrow will be better.Megan, Cheshire UK | |
| Limiting the ways in which a person can take their own life so that the statistics look better is not tackling the problem. All this does is force people to take more risky options when attempting to kill themselves. Recently I read an interview with the founder of Dignitas. I agreed with his argument that if a person cannot be swayed from suicide (which he always attempts in every case) then it's got to be better that they're allowed to perform the action in a safe, controlled environment with expert guidance than be forced to perform a DIY death, with all the risks of horrific injury that come with it. This approach would also save the authorities millions of pounds in emergency response and after-care.Mark Corrigan, Peterborough | |
| Sorry, but it IS selfish. I feel everyone has the right to choose the manner and time of their own death. But there are ways that don't destroy a complete stranger's life. The effect on the driver is utterly devastating. Let alone the poor folk who have to pick the bits up - literally in the case of a fast moving train. It isn't clean, it isn't necessarily quick, and it clearly doesn't always work. Help needs to be available for anyone considering suicide. And it would wonderful if none happened. But if it comes to it - it can't be right to destroy other people in the process.Sandy Fox, Derby, UK | |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |