It’s World Suicide Prevention Day on Monday 10th September and we’re going on local radio to talk about Dwell Time.
Vanessa and I set up Dwell Time in memory of our friend who took his life last year. He had made many previous attempts and talked candidly about his attempts and his highs and lows of bipolar and depression. He was receiving professional support too. This project came from his request to us to make an art project and raise awareness about mental health (with specific focuses depression, bipolar and suicide in young men).
I’ve learned a lot about the failings of a seriously underfunded mental health care system from many friends’ and family’s experiences. I also learned recently that 111 staff are not trained in mental health crisis at all and their sum total support on the phone is asking “are you ok?” (Annie, are you ok?
So, Annie are you ok, Are you ok, Annie, Annie, are you ok? So, Annie are you ok, Are you ok, Annie, Annie, are you ok?)
Quite clearly someone in crisis and contemplating suicide is not ok. There’s been a big awareness campaign #itsoktonotbeok and Andy’s Man Club’s #itsoktotalk The awareness campaigns promote talking about feelings and reducing stigma.
Mind have a handy resource for World Suicide Prevention Day and Samaritans have a page on How to start a difficult conversation
Samaritans helpline: 116 123
- More than 800,000 people take their lives each year across the world.
- In the UK and ROI, more than 6,000 people die by suicide a year – an average of 18 a day.
- Suicide is the leading cause of death in people aged 15-24 in many European countries
- For every 1 suicide 25 people make a suicide attempt
- 135 people are affected by each suicide death
More facts and figures from IASP
“Reaching out to people who are going through a difficult time can be a game changer. People who are feeling low or suicidal often feel worthless and think that no-one cares. Small things like hearing from friends or family, feeling listened to or just being told that ‘it’s ok to talk’ can make a huge difference.”
We will try and cover some of these things on our radio slot, as well as what’s happening with Dwell Time, and we have also been asked to make a playlist of six rock and roll songs.
This is not the final playlist for our radio slot but a couple of classics *TRIGGER WARNING*:
A Perfect Circle – The Outsider
Pantera – Suicide Note Part 1 & 2
Peter Gabriel – Don’t Give Up (ft. Kate Bush)
Keep talking. NHS directory of mental health helplines (including opening times)
