World Suicide Prevention Day by Lifeline falls on Sunday, the 10th of September, and this year’s theme is Suicide Doesn’t Discriminate. The message of the campaign is no matter who you are and what life you lead, anyone can be affected by suicide. You can be successful and still struggle. You can be brave and yet feel broken. You can be needed and still feel alone. A loving family can still see loss. The campaign aims to bring suicide stigma out of the shadows and into the light.
To help bring the topic of suicide to light, our KompleteCare Client Services Manager and Enrolled Nurse, Manda Simpson, wants more people to talk about it. Did you know in 2022, there were 965 suspected or confirmed suicide deaths? So far, in 2023, that number is already at around 319 suicides. The leading cause of suicide in Australia is mental health and behavioural disorders. By 25 years old, half of the Australian public has been affected by suicide. Whether it’s someone they know or love attempting to or succeeding in ending their life or having suicidal thoughts themselves. Over 10 million Australian adults know someone who has ended their own life. 1 in 6 Australians will have thoughts of suicide at some point in their life.
Thankfully, the number of resources for people struggling with mental health issues is growing. A quick Google search shows many numbers to call and resources that can be utilised. The Australian Government has undergone numerous strategies and plans to help prevent suicide in Australia, including the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. The resources available are increasing every day, including crisis support services.
Lifeline is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. Beyond Blue is an Australian mental health and wellbeing support organisation that offers a 24-hour support service for brief counselling for those who need it. No matter who you are or how you feel, you can reach out for free counselling services for support. MindSpot is Australia’s first free national online mental health clinic, offering support for Australian adults experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and chronic pain.
With the growth of resources and recognition of your own symptoms, there is hope that the numbers in the statistics will start to decrease. The negative thoughts may not disappear, but learning how to make them less severe and how to cope with them may save lives. Education and awareness is the number one way to get the message out regarding topics like suicide and mental health. Unfortunately, these topics still have a lot of stigma surrounding them even today. It is important to let people know that it is okay to struggle with mental health and to speak out when you need help.
Mental health issues have always been around and will continue to stick around, so it’s time to talk about it. Only by acknowledging and understanding the struggle that mental health causes can we do something about it. If you or someone you know is struggling, you can find advice and resources on the World Suicide Prevention Day website, outoftheshadows.org.au. For our KompleteCare clients, we also offer mental health care and support. Our Client Service Managers and Support Coordinators work with Behavioural Support Specialists and the client to ensure the best strategies are in place and will work as a team regularly to reinforce what is happening and work on strategies or changes to make any necessary improvements. For more information, contact your Client Services Manager or call us on (08) 8265 5696.
