Title: How can you help to reduce the suicide rate – Suicide Call Back Service
Headings: How can you help to reduce the suicide rate
How can you help to reduce the suicide rate
“…the more people talk about mental health, the more normal and natural getting help will seem to individuals who may be struggling…”
The true impact of suicide on families and communities
How can you help reduce the suicide rate?
Reach out and support people
Help spread awareness
Make yourself heard in government
Help reduce the stigma: a special case

Content: a special case
All these proactive measures are important steps that can help reduce the suicide rate. However, if there’s one thing that arguably can make a serious difference to the suicide rate, it is how we talk and think about those things that compound suicide. Specifically, it’s important to address the stigma still commonly associated with things like mental health and getting help. For instance, suicidal thoughts may be considered a taboo or ‘forbidden’ subject among many people. Unfortunately, ignoring a deep source of emotional pain is unlikely to make the problem go away, particularly for a person who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts. A high proportion of people who die by suicide are also living with a mental illness. Although the relationship between suicide and mental illness is quite complex, there is evidence that suggests a link exists between suicide and the stigma experienced by people living with mental illness. Shame or stigma is something that may need to be overcome by people affected by suicide. A lack of understanding about suicide could lead to an unwillingness to support people who are grieving or experiencing grief. According to one in-depth study, people in this situation report higher levels of “rejection, shame, stigma, need for concealing the cause of death, and blaming” compared to people dealing with someone’s sudden natural or unnatural death.