Welcome everyone, This blog post is about World Suicide Prevention day.

World Suicide Prevention Day is held each year on 10 September. It’s an annual awareness raising event organised by International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

World Suicide Prevention Day gives organizations, government agencies and individuals a chance to promote awareness about suicide, mental illnesses associated with suicide.

If you would like to see the video version of this blog post, please click on the video below.

This year the theme for World Suicide Prevention Day is “Working Together to Prevent Suicide.”

Although it is difficult news to share, More than 800,000 people take their lives each year across the world. In the UK, more than 6,000 people die by suicide a year.

• Feeling hopelessness and that there is no point
• Consumed by negative thoughts
• Feeling unwanted by others
• Thinking or feeling that you have no other choice
• Assuming everyone would be better off without you

Suicide or those suffering from illnesses that can lead to suicide can affect more than the victim or person themselves. A death of a loved one can affect the family, friend or their carer. Unpaid carers can play an important role in providing support for someone suffering suicide thoughts.

What to do if you are suffering from suicide thoughts

• Speak to some close you can trust.
• Contact the Samaritans on freephone 116 123.
• Contact your GP.
• Call NHS 111 (England).
• Contact your local crisis team.

What can you or others do to help raise awareness?

• Raise awareness that suicide is preventable.
• Improve education about suicide.
• Spread information about suicide awareness.
• Decrease stigmatization regarding suicide.