With 800,000 suicides all around the world every year, that's 1 death every 40 seconds.
Every year on September 10th, organisations and communities around the world come together to raise awareness for suicide prevention. Why? Because over 800,000 people are dying every year worldwide by suicide. That’s 1 death every 40 seconds. And in 2018 there were over 6,500 people that died from suicide in the UK alone.
The word “suicide” is quite alarming to most people, we all know what it is but it’s the actions that lead up to suicide that most people don’t notice or think about.
Suicide is also the second most common cause of death for homeless people. People who are homeless need as much emotional support and practical help as we all do. Whether it's speaking to a professional or simply a friend. We know that suicide and homelessness are both issues of inequality and no one deserves to die from inequality.
No one deserves to die in silence. So check up on people because you never know what someone is going through.
Talking about mental health is NOT attention seeking. People die in silence everyday due to the judgement, feeling dismissed and not being taken seriously.
If someone is feeling suicidal, take them seriously and make sure they get the help they need. Let the person talk and LISTEN to them without judgement. If you're in a position to help, don't assume your persistence is unwanted, intrusive or irritating. It could save their life.