Suicide Intervention Skills

Su***de is the leading cause of death in all males and females aged 5-34 years old.

How much do we hear about life-threatening illnesses such as cancer and heart disease? How many of us have been affected by them, either directly or through someone we love? I would be surprised if a single person reading this hadn’t, at some point, joined the fight against these illnesses by donating money or taking part in sponsored events. Because we are desperate to see people live long and fulfilling life. Desperate to end the suffering.

And yet su***de is the word that we dare not speak, despite it being a war that we can win. We can help someone in their suffering. We can save a life.

We naively think that su***de wouldn’t happen to us or someone we love. But the truth is, su***de is rarely about dying. It is a way of escape from the thoughts and feelings the person is experiencing. Maybe from financial struggles, exam stress, relationship breakdowns, poor mental health and so on. These are everyday issues that we all go through, and all of us are vulnerable to thoughts of su***de.

And yet people instead shy away from the conversation; even though it is the leading cause of death in males aged 5-49 and females aged 5-34 in England and Wales according to ONS Data.

And not only do we not talk about it, but the government mask it. Did you know, that even when there is a huge amount of evidence pointing towards su***de as the cause of death unless there was a note, it often gets recorded under a different category? A person jumps off a bridge into oncoming traffic it gets recorded as a road traffic accident. A person found hanging, gets reported as an open verdict or an undetermined cause of death. And why? Because without the su***de note, they cannot confirm without doubt the person's intent. Was it just a cry for help that went too far?

But su***de is the act of taking one’s life. And with or without a note, their own life they took.

And why is this important? Well, su***de is already the leading cause of death in males aged 5-49 and females aged 5-34 in England and Wales and yet these numbers vastly misrepresent the true figure.
We have seen this misrepresentation taking place in other causes of death. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK reported on the number of deaths within 28 days of a positive test. So, I could have been hit by a bus, but if I had tested positive for Covid within the 4 weeks before that, my death was captured in these statistics. So, this time, the Government massively inflated the truth.

So why did they do that? Well, for COVID-19, people needed to obey the rules to save lives. And so, where is the harm in a little white lie if scaring the public resulted in more people complying?

So how do the government benefit from the underrepresentation of su***de deaths?

Well, if the true figure was known. If the government and media drew the same level of attention to it that other causes of death such as COVID, cancer and heart disease got, don’t you think the public would be demanding action? Demanding that more is done to help people to choose life.

And yet, in contrast, the funding the government allocate to mental health services year on year is vastly insufficient. The mental health crisis hit the UK long before the pandemic did. And year on year, we see more people struggling. Longer waitlists. Fewer provisions. More deaths.

So we can carry on shying away from the conversation on su***de and help the government hide away from their responsibilities and their failings. Or this World Su***de Prevention Day, we can raise our awareness. We can demand more. We can save lives!

For further information and training on su***de intervention, please look at my website www.su***de-intervention-skills.co.uk.

Such a powerful exhibition and such an important message

https://www.thecalmzone.net/thelastphoto

The Last Photo Suicidal doesn’t always look suicidal. Find out how you can save a life.

The ASIST 2 day course is described as su***de first aid,but what exactly does that mean? Find out more in this short article. ***deawareness ***deintervention ***deprevention ***defirstaid

What is Su***de First Aid? | Su***de Intervention Skills Su***de First Aid is not a medical intervention. It is about learning how to prevent an attempt on life from occurring.

If you are wondering what the difference between su***de prevention and su***de intervention is. Or what is involved in an intervention. Then read more in our Prevention vs Intervention article.

Prevention vs Intervention | Su***de Intervention Skills The ASIST course teaches you life-saving intervention skills. But how does that differ from prevention? Click to find out more.

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