The death of Roberta Gray at 28 has left her colleagues and friends, and, most of all, her family bereft.

To the outside world, this was a young woman with everything to live for. She was bright, vivacious, intellectually demanding, deeply compassionate and determined to be the best. But even in the midst of the fun and the laughter she brought into the lives of her friends and family, she was suffering from a crippling depression.

Roberta was open about her problems, but the fact remains that most people still know nothing of the black dog of depression that bit at her heels and dragged her down too often. And most people know nothing of mental illness.

This is despite a growing body of research on the subject. The voluntary organisation Aware, which was formed in 1985 by patients, relatives and mental health professionals, believes that at any one time 300,000 Irish people are suffering from depression. And there are many myths and misunderstandings about this devastating illness.

Psychiatric illness is still hidden, misunderstood and whispered about, just as cancer and tuberculosis were years ago. By talking about depression and through educational programmes in schools like 'Beating the Blues', Aware is engaged in a difficult battle to open up the debate on mental illness. It is vital work.

At least 10% of the population will suffer from depression at some stage in their lives. The majority will recover. For those suffering from a serious depressive illness, getting back to good brain health can be an arduous and difficult battle.

When that is not possible, the results can be tragic. In Ireland this year, 500 people will commit suicide and half of them will be under the age of 30. It is estimated that in 2020, over one and a half million people will die by suicide worldwide and that 1530 million people will attempt suicide, equal to one suicide every one to two seconds.

Public awareness and education can help to remove the stigma of suicide. Knowledge, understanding, treatment and intervention are the best weapons to save lives.

Professor Pat McKeon of St Patrick's Hospital in Dublin says that reducing the suicide rate cannot be achieved without a change in awareness, attitude and commitment to the care of people with depression, alcohol and drug dependence and schizophrenia. He asks why should conditions such as these, which the World Health Organisation ranks as causing a greater burden of morbidity globally than cancer and road traffic accidents, not receive similar and equally effective life saving measures.

Suicide prevention is not just for the statutory and health care agencies . . . we all have to change.