On Friday 10th September it will be World Suicide Prevention Day.
Our Free Churches Secretary for Healthcare Chaplaincy, Revd Dr Mark Newitt, shares some helpful reflections on this difficult matter:
“Over the course of someone’s lifetime, 1 in 5 people have suicidal thoughts and 1 in 15 people attempt suicide. That may not sound like a lot, but a statistic that shocked me was that every two hours in the UK a man takes his own life. In fact, in the UK, suicide is the highest cause of death among men under the age 45. While women are more likely to have suicidal thoughts and make suicide attempts than men, men are 3 times more likely to take their own life than women.
The British Psychological Society suggests that one reason suicide rates are lower among women is that they are able to manage complex emotions, have more flexible coping strategies and, perhaps most importantly, are more likely to ask for help or express depressive or suicidal feelings,” writes Mark.
Mark goes on to say, “In the era of Covid-19, with all the uncertainty and anxiety it has brought, it’s more important than ever that we’re there for each other as well as looking after our own mental health.
You don’t need special training to have an open, authentic conversation about mental health. Being honest about our own feelings and vulnerabilities, and simply listening without judgement when someone is open with us, are important first steps.
If you would like more information around mental health generally, the charity Mind provides a wealth of resources, as does the NHS Every Mind Matters website.
For resources relating particularly to suicide prevention, supporting those who have been bereaved due to suicide, and using appropriate language around suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Alliance has links to national and local organisations. In Addition, I recently came across the Campaign Against Living Miserably website, which has lots of helpful information and guidance.”
(Cover photo courtesy of Kristina Tripkovic at Unsplash)