September 10th is known worldwide as Suicide Prevention day and while it is great that the world is keen to raise awareness it still pains me that we need a day for this.
More than 700,000 people worldwide die due to suicide each year and regrettable many more will attempt to take their own life. Suicide continues to be the fourth leading cause of death in 15-19-year-olds.*
In England alone, there were 5219 suicides registered in 2021 an increase from the previous year. Male suicides were 3 x times higher than females per 100,000 showing that the stigma around men's mental health continues to be an issue. **
If you're thinking of harming yourself first make sure you are safe. Maybe reach out to a family member or friend, you could try using self-harm coping techniques to distract yourself from those thoughts.
For example, you could:
hold an ice cube in your hand until it melts and focus on how cold it feels
tear something up into hundreds of pieces
Write down what you're looking forward to. This could be eating your favorite meal, seeing a loved one, or catching up on the next episode of a TV show.
If you feel you are likely to self-harm then reach out to the following service that will be there for you 24/7
Papyrus Suicide Prevention for Young People (Under 35) - Call: 0800 068 4141 Text: 07860039967
Samaritans - Call 116 123
NHS: 111 or 999 (if an emergency)
Shout: 85258
*Figures from WHO 17th June 2021 **Figures from Samaritans
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