Talk by Professor Jamison

A psychologist, whose survival from suicide marked the beginning of a life’s work to investigate mental illness and self-inflicted death, is to give a talk at the University of St Andrews.

Professor Kay Redfield Jamison, Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins Medical School and an Honorary Professor of English at the University of St Andrews, will give a public talk – “Just hope has gone: suicide and depression” – on Tuesday 7 March 2000.

Professor Jamison wrote about her own experience of manic depression in the best-selling book An Unquiet Mind. Her latest book Night Falls Fast deals with suicide, especially among young people, and seeks ways of reversing its rising incidence. In the book, she traces the reasons underlying suicide, looking into the journals, drawings and farewell notes of suicide victims and discusses the biological and psychological factors behind suicides. In Night Falls Fast, Jamison states that the USA sees a suicide every 17 minutes and presents fascinating facts about suicide in families and in twins, gender disparities and the impact of the seasons and times of the day.

Professor Jamison said, “Suicide is one of the major causes of death throughout the world and, in the United States, is the second killer of college and university students. We know a great deal about suicide but what we know about it and what we do about it is terribly discrepant. This discrepancy is lethal”.

Professor Jamison’s lecture is being given under the auspices of the Schools of English and Psychology and the Student Support Service.

Hebdomadar Dr Frank Quinault said, “Kay Jamison is an excellent speaker and her topic a vitally important one, especially for those who, like myself, have a responsibility for the well-being of young people”.

The talk will be held in School III, St Salvator’s College, St Andrews at 5.15pm on Tuesday 7 March.

Issued by Beattie Media on behalf of the University of St Andrews For more information please contact Claire Grainger on 01334 462530, 07887 650072 or email [email protected] Ref: kayredfieldjameson/standrews/chg/28 feb2000/PR1897