Let’s Start the Conversation to Prevent Suicide
TALKING POINT
Let’s Start the Conversation to Prevent Suicide
September 2024
World Suicide Prevention Day, observed on 10 September each year, is a significant day to highlight the importance of suicide prevention, reduce stigma and raise awareness.
Each year around 3,000 people die by suicide in Australia which means that we lose 8 people every day. It’s confronting when you think about the flow on effect from that because every number represents a person’s life cut short. For every life lost to suicide, research suggests that there are around 135 people impacted. To put that into context, that’s 405,000 Australians who are impacted by suicide in any given year. Suicide Prevention Australia highlight that in Australia alone, nearly 10 million people have been impacted by suicide, which represents about half the population of our country. Every one of us can play a role and make a contribution to suicide prevention. Big or small, we all have the capacity to make a difference in the lives of those around us.
One key way for us to better understand suicide is to give greater consideration to how we might support someone who has experienced it.
Losing someone to suicide is one of the most devastating things to work through as a human, and the importance of support, understanding, and guidance for those left behind after a suicide is incredibly important.
This year, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has set a new theme for World Suicide Prevention Day which is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide” along with a further call to action of “Start the Conversation”. This is combined with Suicide Prevention Australia’s additional theme for the day of “We all have a role to play”
We ask everyone today as part of “your role” in suicide prevention, to give thought to how you might support someone in your circle that is bereaved. Or how you might keep more of an eye out on those around you and the way they are acting or behaving. Or better still, prepare yourself and think about some of the ways you might start a supportive conversation with someone who appears to not be ok.
Suicide has a profound effect on individuals, families, workplaces and communities. Having conversation about suicide, in safe and supportive ways, can really help to reduce stigma and increase our understanding of the complexities associated with suicide and inform our responses. We can make a difference through conversations, and a commitment to working together to find ways to contribute to suicide prevention. A simple but important thing we always highlight is finding the time to check in with those around you. Finding the time to reach out to someone if you are concerned about them or think they might be doing it tough can really change someone’s life.
The other thing that we consistently highlight when people ask what they can do, is to encourage people to take a moment to memorise Lifeline’s 24/7 crisis support number 13 11 14 to get in touch with them if you or someone you know needs support.
We are incredibly fortunate in Tasmania to have a strong suicide prevention strategy and implementation frameworks to guide our work which has a strong emphasis on individual and community action alongside much-needed professional health and crisis support services.
Days like World Suicide Prevention Day, also provide an opportunity to pause and recognise the exceptional contribution that people right across Tasmania make to reduce the impact of suicide every day.
On World Suicide Prevention Day – place a candle near a window at 8pm to show your support for suicide prevention, people bereaved by suicide, and people with a lived or living experience of suicide.
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, seek help and support from A Tasmanian Lifeline 1800 98 44 34, Lifeline 13 11 14, Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467, or the Lifeline crisis chat service at www.lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat. In an emergency, call Triple Zero 000.
Dr Michael Kelly, CEO Relationships Australia Tasmania and Mitch McPherson, Founder SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY
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Media Contact: A.Mark Thomas, M&M Communications, 0422 006 732
About Relationships Australia Tasmania
At Relationships Australia Tasmania we provide families, couples, individuals, older people, children and communities with tools and strategies, so that they have healthy, positive lives. We help more than 8000 Tasmanians every year to transform and change their lives through counselling, mediation, dispute resolution, support and training.
Our focus is on:
- healthy relationships, conflict resolution, parenting, cultural issues and mental health
- We offer people the services and support they need, when they need it to assist them when life presents challenges.
- Services are available to all people regardless of cultural background, family structure, economic situation, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status.
More information about the services and support we offer can be found on our website www.tas.relationships.com.au
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