We've focused on the strikes and riots that threaten to derail Greek austerity. But what about the Greeks who aren't fighting back, and instead have given up?
The suicide rate in Greece has surged, approaching triple last year's rate, according to non-profit suicide helpline organization Klimaka. They think the rise is based on the financial crisis.
Klimaka, which operates the 1018 telephone helpline, said it was receiving around 25 calls a day, compared to an average of 10 per day last year. Asked whether the spike in suicides was linked to the financial crisis, Violatzis said he believed it was a contributing factor. “Suicide is a multifaceted phenomenon – we cannot link it exclusively to the crisis,” he said, noting however that the environment influences our actions. As for the profile of most victims, Klimaka said they are chiefly “productive people with responsibilities, financial obligations, families, loans.” According to Violatzis, many of the victims are “men who are no longer earning enough money to provide for their families and feel they no longer have a role to play – people who are going through an identity crisis.” There are also many who take their lives due to deep-seated psychological problems or depression, he added.
Remember the Greek debtor who immolated himself inside a bank?
