Suicide Prevention
Death by suicide claimed the lives of 119 people in Kirklees between 2016 – 2018. That’s 119 families torn apart, each death having a devastating, lasting impact on many people’s lives. Every one of these deaths could have been prevented.
Suicide Prevention Month
It’s no lie that the pandemic has increased feelings of anxiety, stress, loneliness and depression in many of us. That’s why, throughout September, we will be shining a light and raising awareness on what support is available, encouraging you to have conversations and that prevention is possible and people do recover.
World Suicide Prevention Day, 10 September
On World Suicide Prevention Day, we will be joining organisations across the world, to help raise awareness, remember those lost to suicide and celebrate the people who survived. You can get involved by visiting the WSPD website.
If you need urgent help or are worried about someone else, please contact:
- Samaritans 24-hour service: 116 123
- Childline: 0800 1111
- Papyrus for teenagers and young adults: 0800 068 41 41
- West Yorkshire and Harrogate Suicide Bereavement Service
You should realise that a lot of people don’t seek help, so prevention should be about reaching out to people beyond electronic means, education, flyers, leaflets through doors. The stigma around illnesses that cause suicide needs to be lifted. If I broke my leg – people could see it, understand my difficulties and more than likely offer help – this help would in those circumstances be easy to accept. Therefore, as some illnesses aren’t so obvious, we need to teach people to be kinder, to not be afraid to hold out their hand to someone and to teach people that there is good in asking for or accepting help.
The other main issue is qualified help – if a family expresses concern over a loved one’s mental decline it should be enough to trigger qualified contact being made. As it would be if you were concerned about the welfare of a child or elderly/vulnerable person whose needs were not being met.
Self help groups are only good enough for those who are aware of, confident enough to take the step to join and able to engage. The people who need help the most are the ones that you don’t know about.
Hi Katherine, In Kirklees, there is a multi-disciplinary action suicide prevention planning group developing many initiatives including ‘talking saves lives,’ to raise awareness of how we all have a part to play in looking out for people around us. You can read more about the partnership strategy here. https://www.wyhpartnership.co.uk/application/files/7015/1125/6462/0192_West_Yorkshire_STP_PRINT.PDF For information on Health and Wellbeing support in Kirklees https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/adult-social-care-and-health.aspx#health-and-well-being Kind regards ^CP
What is the strategy in Kirklees for suicide prevention?