Every year, suicide accounts for over 800,000 deaths globally. Every life lost represents someone’s partner, child, parent, friend or colleague.
The crucial role of collaboration is, for the third consecutive year, the theme on World Suicide Prevention Day (10th September):“Working Together to Prevent Suicide”. With the prevention of suicide to the fore, we are reminded that we can collectively rise to the challenges presented by suicide.
During this time, the International Association for Suicide Prevention emphasises the importance of raising awareness of the issue and finding out about the causes of suicide and associated warning signs, sharing your own experiences in a bid to more fully understand and address the many component parts of suicide and caring for those in distress in your community – taking a minute to reach out to someone could change the course of another’s life.
What you can do?
Suicide is a difficult issue to address and some people may never fully understand why someone would want to take their own life. However, it’s important to know there are things you can do to help prevent it and offer support.
- Talk openly about suicide – doing this can give a person other options, or the time to rethink their decision.
- Learn to use informed, appropriate, sensitive and non-judgemental language when talking about suicide.
- Educate yourself on the complexities of mental health difficulties and suicide via trusted sources and try not to make assumptions.
- Recognise the valuable contribution of those who struggle with their mental health, have attempted suicide and recovered and those bereaved by suicide.
- Reach out to a support organisation for advice on how to respond to negative behaviours or comment that result from stigma, such as discrimination.
- Start a conversation with someone you care about – you don’t have to have all the answers, and won’t.
- Listen with compassion, empathy and a lack of judgement.
Support is always available………..
Call Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie, available 24/7
Call Pieta on 1800 247247 or text HELP to 51444, available 24/7
Call the Aware Support Line on 1800 804848 or email supportmail@aware.ie
Call the Irish Hospice Foundation Bereavement Support Line on 1800 807077
Text YMH to 50808 – a free and anonymous text support service, available 24/7
For information on ending mental health stigma, visit www.seechange.ie
For information on mental health supports and services, visit www.yourmentalhealth.ie
#connectingforlife #WSPD2020
