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Dan Farthing: We need to talk about suicide

Preventing suicide is everybody’s business and we can all play a part by being there for each other.
Preventing suicide is everybody’s business and we can all play a part by being there for each other.

This coming Saturday (September 10) is a date we should all have marked in our calendar – World Suicide Prevention Day.

We lose people to suicide every single day, so you might wonder why one day of the year is any different. World Suicide Prevention Day began in 2003, providing us with a dedicated moment to let people know that suicide is preventable. Simply put, we need to talk about suicide.

Last year 753 people took their own life, including 73 people in Grampian, and 60 in the Highlands and Islands. The loss of every one of those lives is a tragedy which is felt every day by grieving friends, family, and colleagues.

We know that mental health services are more stretched than ever as they struggle to meet demand post-pandemic. Suicide rates are consistently more than three times higher in the most deprived areas, and the cost-of-living crisis is putting more and more households under pressure.

Help is out there

A new study from the University of Stirling found that a quarter of young people referred to specialist mental health services are suicidal, and that even when in crisis, they faced a ‘postcode lottery’ to access services.

However, help is out there. Alongside dedicated suicide prevention and crisis services, SAMH is reaching out to offer support.

Our Changing Room project runs at stadiums across Scotland, including Pittodrie, bringing football fans together to talk about mental health and we know that many of the participants have felt so comfortable in that setting that they’ve managed to open up about suicide for the first time.

SAMH also has GP link workers at every surgery in Aberdeen City, connecting patients who may be presenting with a mental health problem to services that can help with some of the contributing factors, including things like help with debt, homelessness, and benefit claims.

Preventing suicide is everybody’s business

And our team in the north-east delivers suicide prevention training to organisations and individuals across the region to equip them with the skills to help someone at risk of suicide. We work in partnership with local authorities, blue light services, and the NHS to analyse and respond to real-time data. We use that knowledge to develop materials such as the ‘Prevent Suicide Northeast Scotland’ app and website, and leaflets to be used in community settings.

With Covid restrictions lifted, we are also increasing our face-to-face work in communities across the region.

However, preventing suicide is everybody’s business; we all need to play our part. So, this World Suicide Prevention Day, I think it’s more important than ever that we are there for one another.

World Suicide prevention day takes place this Saturday.

You don’t need to be a trained psychologist to lend a listening ear, and people living with suicidal thoughts often tell us about the huge difference that can make. Your role as a friend, family member, neighbour, colleague, isn’t to ‘fix’ everything; but you could make things that little bit easier and help them on the path to recovery.

Whether you’re the person living with suicidal thoughts, or worried about someone who might be, there’s no denying that starting the conversation about suicide is a scary prospect. But please remember the power of genuinely reaching out to someone – anyone – could literally save a life.


For more information on SAMH, visit www.samh.org.uk

To download the Prevent Suicide North East Scotland app, visit www.preventsuicideapp.com

If you’re thinking of suicide and want to speak to someone now, you can contact the Samaritans 24/7, free of charge, on 116 123.


Dan Farthing is head of suicide prevention for SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health)

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