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DIVORCED PEOPLE ARE much more likely to be admitted to hospital for psychiatric illness than their single, married or widowed counterparts, according to new figures from the Health Research Board.
The Activities of Irish Psychiatric Units and Hospitals 2015 report shows that 17,860 people were admitted to hospital for psychiatric care last year, a small increase from 17,797 in 2014.
Overall, the numbers of new cases continues to rise, both year-on-year and over a 10-year period.
Over half (58%) of all admissions were for single people.
Married persons accounted for a quarter of all admissions, while widowed people and divorced people comprised 4% each, representing their smaller portion of the population.
However although divorced people accounted for only 4% of all admissions, they had the highest rate of all admissions – at 759.9 per 100,000.
Married persons had the lowest rate of all admissions, at 261.9 per 100,000.
How divorce affects people
Bernadette Ryan, psychotherapist with Relationships Ireland, told TheJournal.ie that her experience is that men can feel very isolated after divorce.
“Separation and divorce is a very difficult time for people, as it’s not just a single event, it’s a process – and that process can be very wearing.
In my experience, men can become quite isolated after separation and divorce.
“They are usually the ones that leave the family home, they are usually the ones who have to move into some accommodation that is not suitable for children.”
As in previous years divorced persons also had the highest rate of first admissions at 201.7 per 100,000, while married persons had the lowest rate, at 99.3.
The problem with isolation
Ryan added that women might be economically worse off after divorce, but socially find it easier to maintain relationships.
Statistically, worldwide women end up economically much worse off than men through separation and divorce.
“And it’s not to say women can’t be isolated too, they can be overwhelmed by the work that goes into caring for children, for example.
But women tend to connect more with others, they tend to reach out for support.
“Men don’t tend to do that, they can become isolated and are prone to depression.
Recently, though, I’ve noticed a lot more fathers who are coming along, they would be separated if not divorced.
“The emphasis is on the relationship being over, but they will always be the children’s father.
Parenting role
“Men can find themselves pushed out of the parenting role. Our advice would be to reach out, to realise there are always lots of men in the same situation.
They go through the same grieving process as a death, but there’s no funeral, no corpse, in fact the other person can be walking around looking great, with someone on their arm.
“Self-care is very important in all of this, and therapy can be a big part of that.”
Overall, the report from the Health Research Board found that first admissions increased last year by 172, from 5,942 in 2014 to 6,114 in 2015.
And the 2015 figure is 9% higher than the number of people who presented for psychiatric illness for the first time in 2006.
The 18-19 age group
There was a 12% decline in total admissions over 10 years, however, mainly down to a 20% drop in re-admissions.
The report also found:
Dr Graham Love, chief executive at the Health Research Board said: “This report provides essential data to inform decision-making in relation to planning for mental health services.”
In line with the policy to close older psychiatric hospitals, admissions to psychiatric hospitals and continuing care units continue to decrease, dropping by half between 2006 and 2015.
Admissions to general hospital psychiatric units increased by 3% and admissions to independent private and private charitable centres increased by 12% in the same period.
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The last thing you should do is listen to ordinary people’s opinions on complex technical topics. Look at Brexit.
Listen to what the technical experts are saying, and they are all to a man saying that Cork city needs to be extended to give it a critical mass which is important for many reasons.
@Fred Jensen: at the cost of the county though. Even the financial rebate being proposed is only for 5 years before review and doesn’t factor in lost revenue to the county council from developments they have already partially paid for.
There is also a concern the the financial model maybe unachievable in the short term for the city council
Majority of ordinary people in the county are dead set against the city council taking over. Increase in rates…no or little investment in these new areas…theyll become back waters.
@Tony Skillington: the extended City Council should have more money to spend as it wouldn’t have to subsidise the rest of the county council. The council of course might struggle
@Tony Skillington: so who is responsible for that traffic jam they call Douglas??
@Michael Collins: that’s in the county at present. So the county
@Tony Skillington: are they? Must people living in Douglas probably aren’t even aware that they are in fact living in the county. The county would have a stronger case if they hadn’t been pushing people out to far flung places to live. Cork is relatively small yet they seem to think living in Mallow and commuting would be better than living near the city.
May as well extend it to Midleton, Mallow, Macroom and Bandon seeing as ye are on such a roll lads.
So is Limerick city now bigger than Cork City ??as they have extended their boundary, and encompassed a far greater population than Cork city..
@Gary Heslin: limerick city doesn’t exist. It is now part of the county limerick. But the old boundary had a greater land area than Cork city has presently with half the population.
@prop joe: Incorrect. Limerick City still exists. It may be a unity authority with the county but it still has a border, as such. Population including suburbs 95k.
Why has Cork City got its own council ?
@sportsmad: like must urban areas it is governed locally. The counties we have presently where drawn up by the British 400 hundred years ago and don’t really make sense anymore. We should look at all county boundaries.
@prop joe: I’d like to see West Limerick and North Kerry join as one county!
@Colm O’Sullivan: I would like to see from west clare to the cork border, from north tipp to the cork border and east waterford to the cork border all come under the cork banner.
It has a bigger population than half of the counties in Ireland as it is, if the proposed expansion is approved, only 2 counties in the Republic will have a bigger population.
have your say