Living and working in London can be stressful, and for some, life can sometimes feel overwhelming. The sad truth is that suicide is the cause of death of around 10 Londoners every week. World Suicide Prevention Day, which takes place on Sunday 10 September, is an opportunity to remember that it has never been more important to think and talk more about mental health and wellbeing.
The Zero Suicide Alliance has developed free, online training, which is designed to show how to have a direct and honest conversation about suicide and mental health with friends and family.
Look out for others
The training, which takes around 20 minutes to complete, helps to break the stigma of talking about mental health, suicidal thoughts, and bereavement, and encourages us all to look out for others. More than one in three UK adults (36%) surveyed by the charity Mind said they never make space in their day or the time to speak about their mental health. Yet nearly four fifths who responded (78%) said that their mental health has been affected by cost-of-living crisis – which rose to 94% for those with existing mental health problems.
Financial concerns are not always something that people typically feel comfortable to discuss, with some feeling a sense of shame about their situation. And with many facing continuing cost-of-living challenges, debt is a significant risk factor of suicide.
“An opportunity to reflect, think, and talk more freely about our mental health”
Councillor Josh Blacker, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for healthy lives said: “It is tragic and saddening that suicide remains a major cause of death, particularly for our young people. World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity for us to prioritise mental health and wellbeing, so it’s important that the council is supporting the #ZeroSuicideLDN campaign. This is an opportunity to reflect, think, and talk more freely about our mental health. By encouraging more Londoners to take the Zero Suicide Alliance’s free online training, we can support people to talk more openly about suicide and end the stigma around mental health.”
Dr Jacqui Dyer MBE, mental health equalities advisor for NHS England and co-lead of Thrive LDN, said: “We know that living and working in London can be stressful, and right now for some it may be overwhelming. That is why we want to encourage as many people as possible to take free, online training to know what to do if a loved one, colleague or stranger is in crisis.
“By doing so, we are working towards a city that is stigma free, where people can have a more direct and honest conversation about suicide with fellow Londoners in a safe and sensitive way. Especially considering the challenges so many Londoners have faced due to the pandemic and more recently increased cost-of-living pressures.”
Find out more
For more information on the suicide prevention training, visit www.thriveldn.co.uk/zerosuicideldn.
Life can be difficult for all of us at times, and you might sometimes feel completely overwhelmed. A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical one. Find your local NHS urgent mental health helpline for 24/7 advice and support.
