This paper analyzes suicides committed in Podgorica during the 2000-2005 period divided according to gender, age and the way these have been performed. In 2000 we have 25 suicides on 100.000 habitants, and in next five years there is a growth in trend thus in 1999, there are 17.3 suicides on 100.000. Comparing to 1989 when suicide rate was 7.89, and 2003 rate which was 35.74, we can notice that significant social stresses, lead to a rise in rate of suicides so average rate for period of 2000-2005 is 28,29 which puts Podgorica into area with high suicide rate. The male/female ratio was 2.8:1. The largest number of people who killed themselves are between 35 and 44 years old. The way that people use to perform suicide is mostly by firearm (40.78%) and hanging themselves (38.03%) which is near to average numbers in the world. This research shows that there is significant rise in suicide rate. As a conclusion, on the basis of cited literature, the authors lined up all moments which can explain why have happen significance rise in suicide rate.

Burden among caregivers has consistently been recognized as a function of both subjective and objective variables. In addition to concrete role demands, caregivers' perceptions and appraisal strongly contribute to perceived burden. At present, however, the relative contribution of objective and subjective factors remains unclear. This question was addressed among 70 spousal caregivers recruited within a dementia assessment clinic. Subsequent to adjustment for socially desirable responding, both groupings of variables significantly contribute to the prediction of burden scores. These findings are discussed in the context of the hopelessness theory of depression. Demographic similarity between these caregivers and a corresponding sample of randomly derived spousal caregivers recruited as part of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA) suggest the results of this study may be generalized with greater confidence.

This research pertained to personal goals during retirement and especially to the influence of tenacity and flexibility on measures of psychological well-being. The participants (N = 147) had been retired for less than three years and were aged between 49 and 75 years (M = 58 years). The participants had to identify four personal goals and rate each of them along 15 dimensions. Psychological well-being was evaluated with scales of depression, self-esteem and life satisfaction. Regression analyses showed that flexibility in the presence of obstacles to the realization of goals accounts for 44 per cent of the variance in depression, 29 per cent of life satisfaction and 25 per cent of self-esteem. Tenacity had a more modest impact. Flexibility seems to be the strategy which is most useful in facing difficulties in the pursuit of goals during retirement.

Early intervention in depression is important for many reasons including expeditious alleviation of suffering, assisting parenthood, suicide prevention and helping the economy. The fact that people with depression frequently employ maladaptive coping strategies, notably alcohol misuse, suggests the need for evidence-based self-help for sufferers. Self-help can be viewed as a philosophy of patient empowerment and as “a health technology solution to volume and demand”. Bibliotherapy (self-help using written materials) provides information and encourages the reader to make changes leading to improved self-management. Enthusiasm for the use of bibliotherapy in depression should be tempered by pursuit of a sound evidence base.

Objectives: The changing family and social patterns in modern society are likely to influence the availability of informal support for older people. The aims of this study were to determine the support network distribution of a community dwelling elderly population in Dublin, and of those with mental disorders (dementia, depression and anxiety).

Methods: Interviews with 1,001 community dwelling older people using GMS-AGECAT. In addition, a support network assessment instrument was administered, which identifies five different support network types. The local integrated and wider community focused networks are characterised by extensive community involvement, family dependent networks by close family support, and the local self contained and private restricted networks by low levels of family and community involvement.

Results: Of the elderly population, 83% had support networks characterised by close community and/or family involvement. Subjects with cognitive impairment had lower levels of informal support from the community, as indicated by a lower proportion of local integrated (44% v 63%) and a higher proportion of private restricted (6% v 12%) networks. Late life depression was also associated with decreased levels of community integration.

Conclusions: The elderly in Dublin appear to have high levels of informal support. The extensive support may be a factor in the lower rates of depression found in Dublin than in London and New York. While the overall level of informal support available to older people with mental disorders in the community remains high, a proportion have low levels of family and community involvement and consequently their mental health problems may go unrecognised.

The social, personal, occupational and domestic deficits of schizophrenia are well known. Perhaps it has not been emphasised sufficiently that people suffering from schizophrenia also have an increased mortality. It is important to recognise that suicide is the commonest form of death among both male and female schizophrenics and occurs in 10%-15% of cases.