On Suicide Prevention Day…
Let’s create awareness and commitment to support anybody suffering in silence.
- In the last year there were over six thousand suicides in the UK
- Men remain three times more likely to commit suicide than women
- The highest suicide rate is men aged 45-49
Don’t suffer alone…
If you are having suicidal thoughts or feel like you want to hurt yourself, try to reach out and tell someone how you feel.
You don’t have to suffer in silence, there are many people who want to listen to you and help.
Talk to your family or friends
Try to let someone close to you know how you’re feeling… they might be able to help and at the very least, they can listen.
There are lots of people you can call…
These people are ready and waiting to talk to you and offer help and support to keep you safe.
Samaritans – 116 123 CALM (for men) – 0800 58 58 58
Papyrus (under 35) – 0800 068 41 41 Childline (19 and under) – 0800 1111
The Silver Line (older people) – 0800 4 70 80 90
If you don’t want to phone a helpline, there are other people you can trust to call and speak to.
Call your GP – If you ask for an emergency appointment, you can talk to your GP about how you’re feeling and they can help to advise and support you.
Call 111 – This will get you through to someone who can help find the right support for you.
If you feel suicidal today…
- Try to reach out to someone you know now
- Make a call to someone who can help and support you
- Think smaller and focus on just today and feeling better right now instead of thinking about the future
- Get yourself to somewhere you feel safe, like a friend or family members house and be around people who you trust
- Stay away from drugs and alcohol as they are likely to make you feel worse
If you’re worried about someone you know having suicidal thoughts…
- Try to encourage them to talk to you. Don’t worry about having answers for them, simply listen to them and support them
- Make sure someone stays with them and let them know that you care about them and that they’re not alone
- Avoid telling them to “cheer up” or “be grateful” for things they have, instead listen to how they feel and why and try to get them to offer more details so you can understand better
- Try to encourage them to seek professional help where you can both receive support
If you are thinking about hurting yourself or worried about someone you know, reach out to someone who can help support and offer advice.