Since 2003, World Suicide Prevention Day has been observed to help raise awareness, and create a worldwide commitment and take action to prevent suicide. Sadly, every 40 seconds, a person dies from suicide
.
This year the theme for World Suicide Prevention Day is ‘Working Together to Prevent Suicide’. The current climate has had an ever-increasing effect on mental health; we are seeing a bigger need to bring awareness to all available mental health resources.
If you feel like you are having suicidal feelings, it can be scary, but starting a conversation is important. Find someone you can trust to talk to such as a friend or family member. If this is difficult, there are helplines available which have been listed below, or you can contact your GP, 111 out of hours, or your mental health crisis team if you have one.
If you have seriously harmed yourself, please call 999 or go to A&E immediately or ask someone else to take you.
Please see the list of resources below, taken from the NHS website.
- Samaritans – open 24/7
Call 116 123
Email jo@samaritans.org
- Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) – for men
Call 0800 58 58 58 – 5pm to midnight everyday
- Papyrus – for people under 35
Call 0800 068 41 41 – Mon to Fri 9am – 10pm/ weekends & bank holidays 2pm – 10pm
Text 07860 039967
Email pat@papyrus-uk.org
- Childline – for children and young people under 19
Call 0800 1111 – the number will not show up on your phone bill
If you are worried about someone else having suicidal thoughts, trying to talk to them, and asking open ended questions. Just listening to someone can be helpful, and you may be able to help them take the first step to getting the help they need. The Samaritans have created a guide to supporting someone you are worried about; please visit https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/if-youre-worried-about-someone-else/how-support-someone-youre-worried-about/
It’s okay to not be okay.
It’s okay to talk.