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Take a minute to think about the pain and suffering  being felt by every single person impacted by suicide.

 

The World Health Organization estimates that over 800,000 people die by suicide each year – that’s one person every 40 seconds. In Australia more than 2800 people die each year with latest figures (2016) telling us that 2,866 Australians took their own life. Recent research tells us that hundreds of Australians are impacted by each suicide death. Research also tells us that some 65,000 people attempt suicide each year and hundreds of thousands of people think of suicide.

 

Sharing the Hotline number is great, but it is definitely not enough! Here are the real secrets to helping friends, family and anyone who is at risk.

 

There must be more emphasis on early intervention when someone seems “off” in order to curb suicides ― a responsibility that lies on everyone, said Dr. Christine Moutier, chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. An easy way to do this is just by simply paying attention to the people in your lives.

 

“When people deviate from their usual patterns of behaviour, something is up,” Moutier said. “It doesn’t mean to make more of it than it is, but it simply means that it’s not going to hurt to check in in a caring way. Behaviour changes could be something as small as turning down their favourite activity several times in a row or sitting away from their best friends when they normally eat with them every day. This certainly doesn’t mean a person is suicidal by any means, Moutier stressed, but it may be a sign someone might need support. It’s less about what you say and more about how you encourage them to talk more and give them a response that’s nonjudgmental and really supportive”.

 

Ultimately, though, the future of suicide prevention is a holistic approach, both in our own lives and in public policies. It thrives on a feeling of responsibility for each other ― one that exists beyond just posting a phone number and relying on the people on the other end to do the tough work.

 

“Talking about feelings can and does help people to feel better,” Dr. Ana Moreno co-founder and clinical director of Family Recovery Specialists, a facility at Delphi Behavioural Health Group in Miami.. “feeling better throughout the call can provide enough hope to try talking with a loved one or seeking professional help. On some occasions, the helper can provide resources the person calling may not have been aware of before that can add additional hope.”

 

“We need to deepen the mental health literacy of our nation, to the point that people become self-aware of the triggers and improvers of their own mental health like they are with their physical health,” she said. “There are really basic things most people just know, like if we exercise, we feel good or if we eat terrible the day before, we’re going to feel crappy the next day. I think that those same basic principles do apply to mental health, but that hasn’t become infused into our society yet.”

 

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