Afiadata Kenya’s Post

Content Warning: This post discusses mental health and suicide. September is #NationalSuicidePreventionMonth, an opportunity to recognize, engage, and raise awareness around the lives lost to suicide, those with suicidal thoughts, and the families and communities that have been impacted by such events. The 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention is meant to address gaps in the #SuicidePrevention field and promote a coordinated and comprehensive approach through four strategic directions. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q02PTkMG0. We strongly support the national theme of Healthy Equity in Suicide Prevention as suicide can affect anyone, regardless of background. We must break down barriers and provide support for all. Cultural sensitivity is key to effective mental health support, and we look to encourage hope and strengthen prevention efforts. You are not alone. The national suicide prevention hotline number is 988, and is open 24/7/365. For more information on available resources for yourself or someone you know, visit the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline website here: https://hubs.la/Q02PTkLQ0

World Suicide Prevention Day and I'm going to say it's Not OK to not be OK. What I mean by that is that we need to not accept that the stats show the deaths by suicide are on the rise - we need to put more pressure on our Government to support mental health, we need to put more effort into ensuring our workplaces are supporting our colleagues, we need to have more training around recognising the signs of depression and mental illness and what to do in crisis, we need support to be more accessible for everyone. Help is out there. We all deserve to be in a good place mentally. In 2023: - 5656 suicides were registered in 2023*. This is 372 more than in 2022. - The overall suicide rate was 11.2 per 100,000**, which is an increase on the previous year. ☎️ If you are experiencing difficult thoughts call 116 123

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Suicide is preventable and everyone can play a part. You can help by learning the warning signs and if you're worried about someone talking to them. We all have a role to play in looking after our own well-being and promoting positive mental health and resilience. Each of us can also help push for societal change that leads to the situations that increase the risk of suicide: poor housing, insecure employment, experience of the criminal justice system, drugs/alcohol/gambling and trauma in childhood.

We are delighted to announce the theme for World Suicide Prevention Day for the years 2024-2026: "Changing the Narrative on Suicide" with an associated call to action: "Start the Conversation". Selected through a public consultation with more than 250 responses from 56 countries, this will be our official theme for the next three years. The aim of the theme is to raise awareness about the importance of changing the narrative surrounding suicide, reducing stigma, and encouraging open conversations to prevent suicides. This theme also includes emphasising the need to prioritise mental health and suicide prevention in policy-making, calling for government action.  As members of the community, everyone plays a crucial role in changing the narrative on suicide. Whether you are a mental health professional, a survivor, a friend, or a family member, your voice matters. Together, we can challenge stigma, promote understanding, and save lives. Find out more: https://bit.ly/3QMppxu #WorldSuicidePreventionDay #StartTheConversation 

The freshly announced theme for World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September is “Change the Narrative on Suicide”. It’s a great opener for conversations. What narratives do we need to change? How might we shift our thinking about suicide and suicide prevention? How might we hear different perspectives? The growing Life Promotion and Suicide Prevention FNQ Collaborative work embraces these conversations. Lifepromotionfnq.com.au

The new theme for #WorldSuicidePreventionDay for the next three years is ‘Change the Narrative’ and I couldn’t be any happier. In a world where existing stigma related to #mentalhealth still prevents funding for specific programmes, especially on #suicideprevention, this theme that the International Association for Suicide Prevention launched represents an opportunity to engage with advocacy groups, policymakers, and practitioners and start the conversation on the urgency to build a #compassionate world, free of #suicide.

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. One of many days and reminders of the importance of moving supports further upstream, investing in prevention, early intervention, early engagement and mental health. Over the past 10 years, awareness about support services and the impact of ACEs later in life, including with addiction and suicidality, has increased significantly. Although services are still overburdened, lived and living experience is recognised more than ever before. There is a growing movement of policy and practice shifts that are happening to move prevention from being something we talk about but don’t really know what to do, to a connected systemic approach where prevention and early engagement are possible. Today as I pause and reflect on the journey of almost 10 years, I feel hopeful about the ripple effects and system change that is happening.

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Statistics show that suicide rates in England and Wales have reached their highest level in 25 years. This heartbreaking reality is a reminder of the challenges so many people face, often in silence. We must continue to break the stigma around mental health, offer support to those in need, and promote conversations that can save lives. Together, we can create a future where no one feels alone. Reach out, listen, and let’s work to prevent suicide. Every life matters! Samaritans 116 123 NHS You can now call 111 for mental health support Suicide Prevention UK 0800 689 5652 SOS Silence of Suicide 0808 115 1505 Mind 0300 102 1234 Shout UK Text 85258 Campaign Against Living Miserably 0800 585 858 #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthengland #mentalhealthfirstaider #suicideprevention