Suicide levels have more than doubled in East Ayrshire .
There were 26 suspected suicides between January and November 2018.
The devastating news comes as health chiefs announce a probe into the most recent 50 cases of people who took their own lives.
A new mental health group in Kilmarnock , organised by Allan Parris, was due to run on Monday night at The Glencairn Suite.
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During 2017, a dozen people died by suicide in the area, according to the National Records of Scotland. The latest number is now more than twice that.
Council leader Douglas Reid described it as a “serious issue”. He said: “This authority is really concerned about the increasing spike in our community.”
He told a meeting of the full council last week there is a drive to find out “what is behind this.”
Councillor Reid also called for a “greater understanding of the problem to prevent incidents”.
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Health and social care partnership director Eddie Fraser told councillors at the meeting: “Every suicide in East Ayrshire is an absolute tragedy and we want to intervene and prevent. In the past two years we have seen an increase in East Ayrshire.”
Updating councillors, he said the last 50 suicides are being reviewed.
Councillor Iain Linton said: “The age profile of those taking their own lives is of concern to me.”
A pan-Ayrshire Choose Life strategic partnership group has been formed as part of efforts to prevent suicide.
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Support group founder Mr Parris said on social media: “There have been too many suicides in Kilmarnock in the past few months. That’s why I have started this group to give people somewhere to go and talk to other people who are going through the same problems.”
In another Facebook post about mental health waiting lists, he said: “They have to wait eight months to a year to speak to a mental health nurse. Totally unacceptable. You are letting our children down badly. Get this waiting time reduced to two to three weeks.”
Samaritans is available 24/7 every single day of the year, to listen and offer support to anyone who is struggling to cope.
People can contact Samaritans by phone, free of charge, on: 116123, via email: jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org
Ayrshire Samaritans is based at The foregate, 22, Kilmarnock KA1 1LU.
