Sunday, September 10, is World Suicide Prevention Day. This year's theme is creating hope through action.
Suicide prevention is a community-wide challenge and not just a medical issue. Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians between the ages of 15 and 44. About nine Australians die every day by suicide. That's more than double the number of people who die on our roads. People in rural areas are twice as likely to take their life by suicide. Some estimates suggest that as many as 65,000 Australians attempt suicide every year.
Beyond the tragic loss of the person, the impact of suicide deaths is felt by up to 135 people, including family members, work colleagues, friends, and first responders at the time of death.
We can all play a part in reducing suicide in our community. Why all of us? The best way to make a difference to any community issue is by working together.
Creating hope through action is what we do at Lifeline. We are there for people calling our 13 11 14 crisis support line, attending our free counselling service or our training programs, or at our other suicide prevention and bereavement support programs. We listen with compassion and without judgement and - most importantly - offer hope so people in crisis can take action.
We always urge people in crisis or those who know someone in crisis to reach out to us for help. But as a community we can reach in. By that I mean we can be there for our friends, work colleagues and family members who are struggling. We can be there for people who have lost someone to suicide.
While mental health professionals play a crucial role, you don't have to be an expert to be there alongside someone who is doing it tough. You don't have to offer solutions either. Not all problems can be fixed, or at least not easily.
Sometimes it is better not to talk, but rather to actively listen. That can sometimes mean you just sit with people as they wrestle in the mud. The important thing is that you are there so that person does not harm themselves, until you can help them get more expert help.
Lifeline can help you learn the skills to do this. Our community training programs and online resources show you how to recognise if someone is struggling or is in crisis and how to safely support them.
World Suicide Prevention Day is about encouraging understanding, reaching in and sharing experiences, to give people the confidence to take action. To prevent suicide requires us to become a beacon of light to those in pain. We can all be the light.
To mark the day, each year Lifeline organises an Out of the Shadows Walk. Taking part in the walk is another way you can reach in to help to raise awareness about and stigma surrounding suicide, as well as support those who have lost loved ones to suicide.
In previous walks we have individuals, families and workplace teams all coming together to bring the topic of suicide out of the shadows.
World Suicide Prevention Day and the Lifeline Out of The Shadows Walk are great examples of coming together - in community, for community and with community - to prevent suicide.
To those who are struggling we recognise that taking that first step to reach out for help can be hard and daunting. But you don't have to suffer alone or in silence. We are here for you 24/7 by phone text and chat. We have also introduced self-guided toolkits on our website as another way to help people to take that first step more easily.
This year's Hunter walk, from Dixon Park to Merewether baths and back, is on September 8. Meet at Dixon Park at dawn. The walk is free but we ask people to register at lifelinehunter.org.au so we can anticipate and manage crowds.
If you can't do the walk but, like the Lifeline team, you want an Australia free of suicide you may want to mark World Suicide Prevention Day in other ways. By "reaching in" to someone, taking steps to improve your suicide prevention skills or supporting the work of our Lifeline volunteers.
Rob Sams is CEO, Lifeline Hunter and Central Coast. #WSPD
If this article raises concerns for you call Lifeline on 13 11 14
- Picture: Last year's rainy, but well-attended, Lifeline Out of the Shadows Walk. This year's walk will be held on Friday. Register for the free walk at lifelinehunter.org.au Photo by Simone De Peak
