SAMUEL BURNETT
Suicide is still seen as a taboo subject, something that polite society may pretend it does not exist, but it is a very real problem.
The World Health Organisation have estimated one person commits suicide every 40 seconds, resulting in 800, 000 deaths every year. Of that, at least 25, 000 are Australians.
On International Suicide Prevention Day, Lifeline has reached out in order to share stories of survivors who have turned their lives around.
Lifeline Public Affairs Manager, Tim Perry believes that it’s important to talk about the subject in order to remove the stigma so people are more confident to seek help.
“Suicide is a highly complex issue, involves a number of issues, typically mental illness and it cannot be simplified into one neat category,” said Mr Perry.
Using the hashtag, #bounceback, Lifeline has been able to share thousands of stories about people who called their phone services, finding the help they needed and move on with their lives.
Dennis (last name withheld) is one such success story. While he originally struggled with depression and thoughts of self-harm he says that reaching out to Lifeline saved his life.
“I remember one time I was suicidal when I called. I spoke to a gentleman and he helped me stop being at risk of hurting myself. For someone to just say, ‘it’s ok mate, we’ll just have a chat’ – it takes such a weight off your shoulders,” he said.
Dennis is now a volunteer for Lifeline, giving the same aid to others that he himself received.
Mr Perry believes that it is more important than ever to talk about the subject of suicide and preventing it, due to the possibility of a “No” campaign in the same-sex marriage plebiscite.
“I am unaware of any research that indicates a direct link between suicide and a no campaign… but LGBT youth are the most at risk group to attempt self harm,” he said.
You can reach lifeline on 13 11 14 or at https://www.lifeline.org.au/ 24 hours a day.
