Make time to talk this World Suicide Prevention Day
On the 10th September every year people join together for World Suicide Prevention Day – to help raise awareness of the impact suicide has on people and their families.
The Samaritans report that more than 6,800 people took their own lives in the UK and the Republic of Ireland in 2018. They know that we can prevent suicides, if people are given the right support and the opportunity to open up and talk.
Have you asked someone how they’re feeling today?
Often personal issues and concerns can be identified over a tea break and a chance to really ask people who they are feeling. By providing a safe and non-judgemental environment in workplaces and in home lives the more we can get people talking, the more people we can help.
Who can you talk to if you need help?
Charities such as the Samaritans have a range of support available to people when and wherever they need it. This includes a self-help app on their website, where you can track your mood to understand the triggers that cause low periods and learn practical techniques to help with your emotional health.
If you ever need to reach out to the team at Samaritans you can call 116 123 for free from any phone, day or night. Or if you’d feel more comfortable you can email your thoughts and how you are feeling to jo@samaritans.org, where you’ll receive a personal response within 24 hours from their team of volunteers.
How can you help to make a difference?
To help businesses support their colleagues and provide an open and trusted place to discuss mental health struggles, a range of training courses are available. This includes the Scotland Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA) course which NRL colleagues in our Grangemouth office have completed.
These formal training courses can help ensure that colleagues within businesses can spot the early signs that people may need support and gives them the tools to know how to approach the delicate subject.
Making a difference in the Rail sector this World Suicide Prevention Day
Network Rail has worked with the Samaritans and British Transport Police over the past decade to raise awareness of suicide, as it is something that has a devastating impact on workers and commuters across the rail network, as well the troubled people and the families of those who sadly take their own lives.
You can find out more about the great work Network Rail do here.