Understanding and support are key to saving lives

Any death is a tragedy for those left bereaved, but to lose a loved one to suicide creates a special kind of grief for those left behind. They are left wondering how they might have helped. Could a kind word or hug at the right time have been enough to stave off the dark thoughts that drive someone to take their own life?

Two emotional stories we report on World Suicide Prevention Day illustrate the heartache that lingers after a suicide.

Former soldier Dan Arnold from Portsmouth lost three pals in the Afghanistan conflict – but he has since seen 10 more die by suicide. His mental health spiralled down to rock bottom and he tells of a ‘journey of discovery’ to get the support he needed.

Alice Hendy, meanwhile, mourns the loss of her ‘kind’ and ‘thoughtful’ younger brother Josh, who died by suicide last year at the age of 21.

She came up with a brilliant idea after she learned that the dockyard security guard had been searching online for about suicide before his death.

She has created an online tool called R;pple, designed to intervene with a pop-up window if someone triggers potentially harmful searches.

It will point users towards more positive sources of help and support and, hopefully, pull someone back from the brink of their despair. And it is apty named because, as Alice explained, on average, the effects of a suicide ripple through at least 135 other people’s lives.

Alice deserves congratulations for finding a positive response to the tragedy that befell her family.

The World Health Organisation says more than 700,000 lives are lost to suicide each year.

We are all, hopefully, more understanding of mental health issues than we used to be, and we can all work harder be more supportive of friends and loved ones.

That way, more lives will surely be saved.