Today is world suicide prevention day. There are few of us whose lives have not been affected by suicide.
Blog written by: Dr Joanna Lockwood
This year’s theme, Changing the Narrative on Suicide, comes with the call to action: Start the Conversation.
In my role as a researcher at MindTech working in child and adolescent self-harm and suicide, I am often alongside young people and families with lived and living experience and the frontline community-based services around them. We share a commitment to making sure young people and family voices are at the heart of how support is designed and delivered, often using creative and arts-based approaches.
Recently, I worked with an inspiring group of young women at a community event. Together, we explored how we might reach out to friends who are struggling with self-harm or suicidal thoughts, how to start conversations that can feel difficult, and how we can look out for our friends and ourselves. We left with a script for a short film and exciting ideas about kickstarting conversations in schools and faith groups in our city. This was young people as partners in prevention, drawing on shared experiences and a solid understanding of how important messages about suicide might best land with others like them.
It is a reminder to think beyond traditional and clinical models of support and to recognise the strengths that exist within our communities. Formal services remain vital, but suicide prevention also depends on approaches that build on connection and shared understanding at a local level. It is here that most conversations about self-harm and suicide will begin.
This week has highlighted challenges and opportunities in that community space. It’s been encouraging to see suicide prevention reaching new settings, including football clubs with visits to Everton from the Prince and Princess of Wales. At the same time, news that Papyrus, a charity that has played a huge role in youth suicide prevention for almost 30 years, has entered administration, and is a stark a reminder that community organisations can’t provide their life-saving work without sustainable investment. Papyrus’s HopeLine 24/7 was a free, confidential suicide prevention helpline providing support, advice, and crisis intervention for young people experiencing suicidal thoughts and anyone concerned about a young person’s safety. It was providing an opportunity to Start the Conversation.
Helping individuals begin conversations about self-harm or suicide has been a core focus of my work for many years, whether through the development of the CaTS-App© or through work to support parents and carers to feel more informed, prepared and confident having a conversations about self-harm with a child.
Starting conversations about self-harm or suicide is rarely easy. But reaching out and letting someone know you are there and responding to early signs that someone is in distress, even if you don’t have all the answers, will make a difference. Our work to support young people, parents, community groups and frontline professionals to have these conversations is a vital part of suicide prevention.
You can find out more about my work here
Dr Joanna Lockwood
The CaTS App
Harmless
Samaritans 116 123
Young Minds
Childline