Saturday 10 September is World Suicide Prevention Day, and health and social care partners across Coventry and Warwickshire are joining with national and international efforts to spread the message.
This year’s theme is “creating hope through action”. The aim is to explore how individual and collective actions, however big or small, can create hope for ourselves and for others, leading to a world where fewer people die by suicide.
The coronavirus pandemic had a significant negative effect on people’s mental health, and more recently the cost-of-living crisis has caused increased stress and hardship for many people. For anyone struggling with the demands of life, help is always available.
Coventry and Warwickshire residents can visit the Dear Life website. The site provides a range of support and signposting to vital services for residents who are desperately seeking support for themselves or anyone who is worried about a loved one or someone they know.
The mental health challenges that we face differ throughout different stages of our life. Wellbeing For Life has put together a life course map resource, which provides specific advice and resources suitable for various different situations, such as starting secondary school, pregnancy or retirement.
As part of World Suicide Prevention Day, the National Suicide Prevention Alliance asked people to share how they create hope when going through tough times, and created a board of multimedia contributions. Among the contributions, the board features Warwickshire County Council’s “Hope” animation which shared three real mental health journeys from young adults in Warwickshire.
On Thursday 8 September, local health partners will be at Ropewalk Shopping Centre in Nuneaton. Various service providers, including Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, Mind and Wellbeing for Life, will be available from 1pm to 3.30pm to raise awareness and share information about the mental health support available in the area.
Next week, Warwickshire County Council are running Be Well, an online conference for professionals, focusing on improving mental wellbeing across Warwickshire, taking place 12-16 September. Although many of the sessions will be beneficial to those interested in mental health, on Friday 16 September there is a session titled “Suicide prevention: the world is better with you in it”. This interactive session will explore how we can collectively ensure that no one in Coventry and Warwickshire ever feels that suicide is their only option. Registration for Be Well is available here.
Councillor Margaret Bell, portfolio holder for Adult Social Care and Health at Warwickshire County Council said:
“Every life lost to a suicide is a life lost too soon and it’s something we must do everything we can to prevent. Suicide prevention work isn’t limited to just one day, but by recognising World Suicide Prevention Day, we can get closer to a world where everyone has access to the information, support and services they need, and feels confident to talk about suicide.
No one should ever feel that suicide is their only option. If you are worried about someone else or yourself, I urge you to visit the Dear Life website to find out what support is available.”
Coventry City Councillor Kamran Caan, portfolio holder for Public Health and Sport, said:
“We are continuing to work with our partners to raise awareness, address the stigma, and reduce the rates of suicide in Coventry. Unfortunately, mental health is not talked about enough and this World Suicide Prevention Day can hopefully help to change that.
“The Dear Life website is a fantastic way to help everyone in our city to feel they have somewhere to go for advice at a time they or someone close to them is struggling. It is of utmost importance that no-one feels alone, and we would encourage everyone in our community to explore the website and share with anyone that could benefit from support.”
Anne Prendergast, Lead For Suicide Prevention at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust said:
“Every year, on 10 September, organisations and individuals around the world get together to raise awareness about suicide prevention. It also serves as a day each year for us to remember all those who have lost their lives to suicide. This year’s theme is creating Hope through Action.
“To mark World Suicide Prevention Day 2022, we will be in Nuneaton town centre on the 8th September, 1pm - 3.30pm, outside the Ropewalk Shopping centre. There will be a number of services joining us, such as Rise – the mental health service for children and young people in Coventry and Warwickshire, Safe Havens, family services, Citizen Advice Bureau, Change Grow Live and the Samaritans. If you would like to talk about suicide prevention, your personal experience of bereavement by suicide or to find out about the support on offer, please do come and say hello.”
Anyone who is struggling to cope right now can access free support 24/7:
- Confidential emotional support for residents across Coventry and Warwickshire: call 0800 616171
- Urgent crisis advice: call 111 or the NHS Mental Health Access Hubs on 08081 966 798
- Immediate risk to life: call 999 or go straight to A&E
For further information and advice go to Warwickshire’s mental health and suicide prevention resource, Dear Life.