



In the past ten days, 5 people of different professions and area of residence committed suicide due to the financial crisis and the Memorandum policy.

The first incident was internationally broadcast: Dimitris Chrystoulas, a Greek pharmacist pensioner, who committed suicide downtown in Athens, just in front of the Greek Parliament. World press had then made a special reference to the note he left behind, describing his bad condition due to the debt crisis.

The long list of the crisis’ victims includes people all over Greece, of different professions, origin and education levels, but they all have something in common- they were psychologically exhausted from the austerity measures.

During the past few days, 5 people have killed themselves. Most of the victims are young people with families, and felt hopeless due to the escalating situation in Greece.

On April 25, the late lecturer at the Kapodistrian University of Athens, Nikos Polyvos, hung himself. The 38-year-old academic was never appointed a promotion due to the country’s problems and the Memorandum which demands suspension of hiring in state positions.

Two days earlier, a 79-year-old man decided to dive into the port of Preveza, in a bid to escape from his mounting economic problems.

And, unfortunately, the “financial crisis victims” list is even longer. “Scientific studies have shown that an increase by 3% in the unemployment rates leads to a 4.5% raise of the suicide incidents,” says clinical psychologist and psychiatrist Dimitris Boukouras.

He also points out that climate changes play a major role in these unpleasant statistical data. “People with psychopathological problems can’t cope with climate changes. That’s why suicide numbers hit high, especially in the spring and autumn seasons.”



