World Suicide Prevention Day

Today’s post carries a trigger warning as it is about World Suicide Prevention Day. This is a sensitive subject, please read with care.

It is World Suicide Prevention Day today. The theme this year is ‘Working Together to Prevent Suicide’. Suicide isn’t an easy topic to talk about. But every year, suicide is responsible for over 800,000 deaths worldwide. This is equivalent to one death every 40 seconds.

Everybody who dies through suicide has a story. They are somebody to someone. A parent, a sibling, a child, a partner, a friend. Approximately 135 people are impacted in some way for every suicide. Meaning that 108 million people a year are affected by suicidal behaviour. This behaviour includes suicidal thoughts, and attempts, as well as suicide. For every one suicide, 25 people attempt it, and many more think about it.

Just because somebody appears externally happy, or lives what seems to be a fortunate life, they are not immune to struggles. Many outwardly happy, and successful people struggle with forms of mental health illness. I know people who appear in good physical and mental health who have either considered, or attempted suicide. 

In my first draft of this post, I wrote that I made a half-hearted suicide attempt in the past. But an attempt is not something to refer to as half-hearted. To feel so desperate as to take an action which might result in death should never be taken lightly. Clearly, I woke up the following morning. But not everybody wakes again. Which is why raising awareness of suicide is important.

There are no defined predictors of suicide. Suffering from a mental health condition can make someone more likely to self-harm or attempt suicide. Sometimes significant life circumstances might be the catalyst. Debt, relationship problems, unemployment, abuse, social isolation, are all recognised risk factors. 

There remains much stigma around mental ill health as a whole, and the nature of the illness means that sufferers don’t always want to talk to others. Even here, hidden from view as I write a blog post on a computer, suicide isn’t easy to discuss. It’s not enough to tell people where they can go to for support. Even if they have this information, they won’t always seek help. Which is why it is so important that we work together to prevent suicide.  

This next point is really important. People are encouraged to reach out if they feel depressed. It’s not always that easy to do. If someone has been unusually quiet, or out of touch, take time to check in on them. Especially if you know they suffer from mental ill health, or are having a difficult time. Don’t be afraid to talk to them directly about their feelings, including whether they feel suicidal. It will help them to know they can talk to you, and will also help you to recognise when someone needs professional help. You are not responsible for them, but the act of reaching out might be the contact that makes the difference.

As always, if you are struggling and feel able to reach out, please contact somebody.

• Samaritans (24 hours a day, 7 days a week help and support)
• Papyrus UK (support for young people at risk of suicide)