Suicide prevention in a box

"It's designed to buy time when someone is alone at night." Shailah Anderson

A young woman who has struggled with her own mental health is hoping to develop a care box to help others when they are contemplating suicide.

Massey University student Shailah Anderson hopes a self-help care package will get people through crucial hours or days.

Anderson, 22, said in a mental health crisis, time could be crucial. ‘‘It’s designed to buy time when someone is alone at night or waiting for an appointment in case they don’t think they can make it through the next hour or day.’’

The packages will contain an array of sensory items such as perfume and stress balls, to distract the hands and mind.

Anderson said she had experienced both good and bad mental healthcare and was concerned by delays. ‘‘I’ve found that mental health services often require people to be at a certain level of distress before they step in and that can be dangerous.’’

The care package is part of a practical help project through the national Tuia Tangatahi leadership programme run by the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs. The project aligned with her studies and her own experiences with mental health issues and gaps in mental health care.

Anderson also wanted to make it easier for people to connect with the right help. The Manawatu/ Horowhenua Mental Health Directory could be overwhelming at 100 pages, so she hoped to develop an app to match people to the most suitable services to them.

Mental Health Foundation spokeswoman Sophia Graham said while it was not a replacement for talking with professionals, boxes could still help. ‘‘Anything that gives people the tools they need to cope in a heightened state of crisis is going to be a good thing.’’

People did not stay in high states of distress for long periods and could use things as a distraction to get through. ‘‘We know they provide a bit of a distraction, something for the brain to do.’’