World Suicide Prevention Day, “Working together to prevent suicide”, September 10th, 2020
Every year 800 000 people die by suicide, this equals one person every 40 seconds. In addition to this, for every person who dies by suicide, 25 people will attempt to end their own life. Each of these statistics represent someone’s friends, child, parent, partner or colleague. It is estimated that 135 people are affected by each suicide death adding up to 108 million people bereaved by suicide each year.
Suicidal thoughts and feelings are complex, and many different things can influence these thoughts and feelings; including psychological, social and cultural factors and sometimes experiences of trauma or loss.
Suicide Prevention
Suicide prevention needs everyone to work together. Community members, educators, religious leaders, healthcare professionals, political officials, governments and family and friends all play a role in preventing suicide. Whilst individual interventions delivered directly to a person are important, we also need interventions that happen in the community and policy reform. Integrative strategies that cover the individual, systems and community level are needed for suicide prevention to be successful. For the third year running the theme of World Suicide Prevention Day is Working Together to Prevent Suicide reflecting this important point.
More information about suicide prevention go to The International Association for Suicide Prevention World Suicide Prevention Day 2020 brochure.
Involving Lived Experience
Suicidal thoughts and feelings have no boundaries and can affect anyone regardless of how much money you have, where you grow up, your sexuality, ethnicity, gender or age. People who experience suicidal thoughts and feelings have a unique and valuable insight that is crucial for informing suicide prevention methods. Involving lived experience in research and the evaluation of services and interventions for suicide prevention is essential for understanding how to most effectively support people experiencing suicidal thoughts and feelings.
Read Sophia Fedorowicz and Phil Parkes blog for the Centre for Health and Development: Public Involvement in Suicide Prevention Research about the work they are doing together.
For more information about World Suicide Prevention Day go to International Association for Suicide Prevention website and the Samaritans World Suicide Prevention Day page.
If you are currently experiencing suicidal thoughts and feelings
Please know that you are not alone. We encourage you to seek support from someone you trust, your GP or a support service like the Samaritans. You matter.
You can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or access their website for further support HERE (https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/).
You can also go to stayingsafe.net, this resource was developed in collaboration with people who have lived experience and is designed to help keep you safe.
