Work as a legal aid or pro bono lawyer for a while – and you begin to realise there really isn’t much separating you from your clients. To quote the Unwashed Advocate, the only difference between me and my clients is circumstance.
It doesn’t take much for a person’s world to be turned on its head these days. Lose your job, lose your partner, lose your home, lose one of your parents or friends – even one of these events can be devastating.
Several of these events in short succession puts people at risk – even if they think they’re “doing ok”.
I was reminded of this by today’s article in the Hackney Gazette:
Rita Baronoene, 43, of Halidon Close, Homerton, had worked as a packer at the SonyCentre electrical store in Enfield.
It was razed to the ground during the widespread disturbances similar to those experienced in Hackney.
Her partner Roberto De Silva, found her hanged with a washing line in the bedroom of their house in October.
At the inquest at Poplar Coroner’s Court on Tuesday he blamed the riots for contributing to her taking her own life.
She had been on annual leave visiting family in her native Lithuania when the riots happened,
On her return she had insisted on seeing the fire-damaged shell of the shop. Mr De Silva, a landscape gardener for Hackney Homes, accompanied her.
He said losing the job she took pride in led her to become more depressed and worried about her future.
He said: “It [the shop] was all burnt out, she was in tears straight away. She said, ‘I’ve no future; no life’.
“She just kept on and on about it and said, ‘I’ve got no future and no life.’”
He said she began drinking heavily.
The court heard how she was already “emotionally vulnerable”, having escaped a violent ex-partner and coping with the death of her mother and sister.
Ten days before her death she left a note telling Mr De Silva he could have everything she owned and tried to drown herself in the sea at Brighton – but was rescued by police.
Coroner Gail Elliman said she was sure she had intended to take her own life adding: “She took the action of hanging herself.“I’m certain she did so because she was suffering from depression and emotional problems and she may not have done so had she not been suffering.”
If you’re feeling over-whelmed and/or thinking you’ve got, “no future; no life”, please see your GP right away.
GPs can put you in touch with resources that can help address these issues one step at a time. But a GP can’t guide you to these resources unless s/he knows you’re in trouble.
Remember, anything you say to your doctor is confidential – even if you are a teenager.