Good afternoon,
September 10th was World Suicide Prevention Day and on behalf of the MHNIG executive we hope to honor all those who lost their lives and those who have lost someone they love by suicide.
We know suicide does not discriminate and everyone is vulnerable, please don't hesitate to reach out if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Please take a moment to read the following by Archna Patel, one of our political action ENOs, on what you can do to spread the word and promote suicide prevention awareness.
Thank you.
MHNIG executive
___________________________________
World Suicide Prevention Day
Why do we have this day?
To raise awareness around the world on suicide and suicide prevention
Why is this important?
Suicide remains a worldwide challenge. According to the WHO, suicide is among the top 20 leading causes of death globally for people of all ages. It is taken 800,000 lives to date, which equates to one death by suicide every 40 seconds! Every death signifies the loss of a partner, child, parent, friend, colleague. Furthermore, for every death by suicide, we know that there are 25 people that make a suicide attempt and countless others have serious thoughts of taking their own lives.
How to observe World Suicide Prevention Day, what can I do?
- Connect
Look around you; take a moment to check in with people in your lives. Do not be afraid to reach out to someone who may need help and even those who may not seem like they need help, you do not know unless you explore, care and ask. Educate yourself: We can all learn the warning signs and risk factors of death by suicide. If we spot them early enough, we can take action.
- Discuss
Create the space around you so that we can feel safe and open to talk about suicide the way we talk about heart disease or other health issues. Talking about this problem is a major step towards removing the idea that suicide and mental health issues should remain hidden.
Sometimes we think if we avoid talking about it, it will prevent triggering others to have thoughts of taking one’s life; countless evidence shows the contrary[1] that those at risk feel a sense of relief to share suicidal feelings for the first time.
Experts in suicidology concur that talking about suicidal thoughts can be a relief to a suicidal person. It enables and empowers them by giving them the chance to talk about their problems and feel that somebody cares to listen and help.
- Search for resources
World Suicide Prevention Day provides countless resources for people to learn more about the reasons for suicide and how to prevent them. Take a moment on Google today! Learn more about suicide prevalence and prevention. “Knowledge is not only power — knowledge can save someone's life”.
How can I raise awareness today?
Tell people about the day: In person, during your coffee break at work, and through social media!
Social media campaign: The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is preparing “World Suicide Prevention Day Light a Candle Near a Window at 8 PM” e-cards or postcards in various languages so supporters can send these reminders to friends, colleagues and loved ones. Also, these e-cards or postcards can be used by bloggers, writers and others so that they can share information about suicide, suicide prevention and World Suicide Prevention Day.
Click here to find e-cards or postcards in 63 languages.
https://www.iasp.info/wspd2020/light-a-candle/#postcard
WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY TIMELINE
2014
"Public health priority"
The first WHO World Suicide Report, “Preventing Suicide: A Global Imperative,” aimed to make suicide prevention a high priority on the global public health agenda.
September 10, 2003
First World Suicide Prevention Day was held
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Association for Suicide Prevention organized the first World Suicide Prevention Day.
1960
IASP is founded
The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) started in Vienna.
How can I help a person I think is at risk of suicide?
- Ask the person directly about suicidal thoughts and intentions: Do you think about ending your life?” “Are you having thoughts of suicide?” or “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” By asking the person empathically you create the safe space to allow them the chance to talk about their problems and show them that you truly care.
- Think about how you ask them. Avoid doing so in a leading or judgemental way, such as, “You’re not thinking of doing anything stupid, are you?” Our natural response to these types of questions is to respond with a No.
- Listen more and talk less. Allow them to talk freely about why they want to die. Stay open-minded and non-judgemental when listening to the person’s response. This can be a great support and relief to the person that they can finally share with someone who shows they care.
- Avoid trying to convince the person that suicide is wrong. Any judgemental approaches will close up further communication and shut down the opportunity for the person to get support.
- What next? After person has shared their experience with you, reassure the person at risk that you care and want to help. Ask them how they would want to be supported and how you can help them.
What if they refuse help but are wanting to die by suicide?
You need to get help for that person by seeking the help of professionals, such as a family doctor, a mental health professional, a 24-hour crisis line, a hospital emergency room. If the person is at immediate risk of harming himself or herself, do not leave them alone until they have been assessed and received help from a health care professional, or until another trustworthy adult arrives to stay with them.
Here is a great guide to help you:
https://mhfa.com.au/sites/default/files/mhfa-guidelines-suicide-revised-2014.pdf
Archna Patel, RN, MN, BScN, BSc, CPMHN(C), Mental Health/Addictions Clinical Nurse Specialist
[1] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/200641, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27083774/, https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-014-0241-8 )