Today’s World Suicide Prevention Day (Friday, September 10) focuses on mental health help, support and services.
The motto for 2021 is “Creating hope through action”.
Residents are asked to visit The Now We Talking website for lots of pointers and tips to help out with someone to talk to. This conversation can only save someone’s life.
The Now We’re Talking website has many resources, including advice to get people through a crisis, conversation starters for talking about suicide, step-by-step guides to helping someone in crisis, and advice on self-care when you support someone. There is also a free suicide awareness training that only takes 20 minutes here, too.
Coun Matt Dormer, Cabinet Member with responsibility for communities, said: “Any life lost to suicide is a tragedy and it is worrying that men are more likely to die of suicide than women.
“While I especially call on men to take care of each other, we know that suicide can occur absolutely anyone and that it is everyone’s responsibility to ‘create hope through action’.
“I urge everyone to take the time to review The Now We’re Talking website. You can quickly learn some simple strategies for helping others and helping yourself. Suicide is preventable. Small actions and small talk can save lives. “
Emma Webber, Associate Director for Mental Health and Learning Disability Services, said, “We have a range of support services to help people with common mental health problems such as stress, anxiety, or bad moods, to those who have a mental health Experience crisis.
“It’s really important that we create a culture where everyone is comfortable to talk and get support as soon as possible. Our healthy minds team offers a range of conversational therapies and our 24/7 crisis team can support people in a mental emergency. “
To remember a lost loved one, people can show their support for the suicide survivors and the bereaved – they can also light a candle near a window tonight at 8 p.m.
Anyone feeling overworked doesn’t have to fight alone – they can call the 24-hour emergency mental health line in Herefordshire and Worcestershire toll free on 0808 196 9127. There is someone to listen and calls are free and confidential.
For more information, see the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Suicide Prevention Program on the Worcestershire County Council website.
For more information, see the suicide prevention pages on the Healthy Minds website: www.healthyminds.whct.nhs.uk/nwt-suicideprevention