We were at the Preston Flag Market event today supporting World Suicide Prevention Day.
“Around the world, someone dies by suicide every 40 seconds. This equates to 3,000 a day or 800,000 people a year. For every suicide, there are 20 suicide attempts – one every 3 seconds.”
“Suicide and suicide attempts can have lasting effects on individuals and their social networks and communities. The causes of suicide are many, and it is important to understand the psychological processes that underlie suicidal thoughts, and the factors that can lead to feelings of hopelessness or despair.“
“In recognition of this, the 2019 theme for World Mental Health Day (as set by the World Federation for Mental Health) is “Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention” (www.mentalhealth.org.uk)
www.mentalhealth.org.uk says:
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts and need support, you can:
- Call your GP and ask for an emergency appointment
- Call NHS 111 (England) or NHS Direct (Wales) for out-of-hours to help
- Contact your mental health crisis team if you have one
Phone a free helpline such as:
- Samaritans offer a 24-hours a day, 7 days a week support service. Call them FREE on 116 123. You can also email jo@samaritans.org
- CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) have a helpline (5pm – midnight) and webchat to support men
- Papyrus is a dedicated service for young people up to the age of 35 who are worried about how they are feeling or anyone concerned about a young person. You can call the HOPElineUK number on 0800 068 4141, you can text 07786 209697 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org
