Simple ways you can help save a life
Taking time to show someone you care can be a life saver, says Michael Kelly and Mitch McPherson
WORLD Suicide Prevention Day is held on September 10 each year.
It’s an important day to raise awareness and encourage people to take action and be part of the solution.
Suicide is a global issue and through World Suicide Prevention Day the International Association for Suicide Prevention highlights the importance of working together to respond to suicide.
One in every 100 deaths that occur worldwide result from people taking their own lives. Each year more than 700,000 people die by suicide.
This has a significant and profound effect on individuals, families, workplaces and communities.
For this reason, it’s important to think about the role we can all play in being part of the solution. We all have the capacity to make a difference.
RU OK? Day is a great example of how we can check in on those around us, not only on the day but every day.
World Suicide Prevention Day represents another opportunity to start a conversation.
Think about the people in your life. Is there someone who you think is not travelling so well or that you haven’t been in touch with recently?
Reach out to them and see how they are going. Even the simple act of making a call or sending a text can let someone know that you are thinking about them and you care.
This is a key element of this year’s theme for World Suicide Prevention Day: Creating Hope Through Action.
In the work that we do, there is a lot of effort put in to reducing the stigma associated with seeking support or help.
It is most certainly not a sign of weakness, but as we highlight it, it takes courage to recognise that you’re struggling and to seek support.
We recognise that community plays a vital role in responding to suicide. The Stay ChatTY school and sport programs, as well as our and community and lived experience presentations delivered in workplaces allow us to have conversations with people in the places they gather.
Relationships Australia Tasmania also works with communities across the state to develop community action plans for suicide prevention.
The immense value of this work is that people have greater awareness of the issues and are better equipped with knowledge and skills to take action for
themselves or someone they are concerned about.
In working with Tasmanian communities, we hear first-hand the benefits that can come from being proactive about getting support or checking in with the people around you.
Days such as World Suicide Prevention Day are also powerful reminders for all things mental health. It’s a good opportunity to think about yourself and how life’s every day challenges are making you feel.
Through the Stay ChatTY programs, we work with people to help them understand that we all have mental health and it operates on a continuum.
We all have days where we feel like we are at the positive end of the continuum and there will be days that are tough and we slide towards the more challenging end.
Take a few moments to reflect on the last few weeks. If you’re finding that you’ve had more “tougher” days than “easier” ones, it’s important to speak up and have a conversation with someone or contact a service that can provide you with support.
We all have the capacity to make a difference and by taking action everyone can contribute to suicide prevention here in Tasmania.