Adults are eclipsing teenagers as suicide risks in Wairarapa despite New Zealand leading the developed world for youth suicide. An OECD report released on Thursday showed New Zealand has the highest rate of teenage suicide in the developed world. The report suggests suicide rates for New Zealanders between the ages of15 and 19 are well ahead of countries such as Ireland, Canada and the United States. Barry Taylor, suicide prevention co-ordinator for Wairarapa District Health Board, said the focus for his organisation has shifted from teenagers to adults aged from 35 to 44. He said the numbers of youth suicides in Wairarapa have been steadily declining over the past 20 years, which is on par with other regions in New Zealand. "As is the case right across New Zealand, the rates of suicide among the young is going down here as well and has actually dropped significantly," Mr Taylor said. "In Wairarapa the 35 to 44 year old age group has a higher rate of suicide. When we look at the data and where the danger is, it is the older group and that's where we're focused." Mr Taylor said factors contributing higher number of adult suicides include increased stress, reluctance to access services - particularly among men - and "people who may not realise they have undiagnosed depression that may be causing their dark state of mind." Mr Taylor said suicide numbers rise "in times of economic and social upheaval" and two decades ago was a time of change during which teen suicide rates had soared in Wairarapa and New Zealand. "But the Generation Y are more adjusted now to those changes and to the world in which they find themselves," he said. "There was a generational cluster of young people committing suicide 20 years ago and that same cluster is older but still killing themselves today." Mr Taylor said the phenomenon is acknowledged and warrants greater study and investigation.
