Suicide Prevention Month With The Disability Sub-Community ***TRIGGER WARNING***

What is suicide?

Suicide means ending your own life. It is sometimes a way for people to escape pain or suffering. When someone ends their own life, we say that they "died by suicide." A "suicide attempt" means that someone tried to end their life, but did not die.

Some key Facts on suicide:

Close to 800 000 people die due to suicide every year.

For every suicide there are many more people who attempt suicide every year. A prior suicide attempt is the single most important risk factor for suicide in the general population.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15-19-year-olds.

79% of global suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Is Suicide Preventable?

Suicides are preventable. There are a number of measures that can be taken at population, sub-population and individual levels to prevent suicide and suicide attempts. These include:

- reducing access to the means of suicide

- reporting by media in a responsible way

- school-based interventions

- introducing alcohol policies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol

- early identification, treatment and care of people with mental and substance use disorders, chronic pain and acute emotional distress

- training of non-specialized health workers in the assessment and management of suicidal behaviour

- follow-up care for people who attempted suicide and provision of community support.

Questions for you to ponder upon or answer:

What can you do to understand someone who has previously struggled with Suicidal thoughts/ attempts?

Why do you think there is a stigma around suicide?

What could one do to help fight the stigma around Suicide?

If you or someone else here on 7 Cups are in a crisis please refer to this link: link to the 7 Cups crisis page. We wish for you to gain the most appropriate support to help you at these times and you are always welcome to come back and talk to a listener when you are not in a crisis.