World Suicide Prevention Day

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day.

The following facts were taken from the World Suicide Prevention Day website.

• Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 44 yrs
• Suicide is the leading cause of death for women under the age of 34 yrs
• The population death rates are around 10/100,000 people every year
• Annual number of deaths by suicide has changed little over the last two decades remaining plateaued at around 2,300 each year
• 65,000 plan or attempt to take their life each year
• 400,000 people think about taking their life each year

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the rate of suicide is higher in Australia’s Indigenous population, particularly amongst Indigenous youth.

CASSE Aboriginal Australian Relations Program partners with other programs in attempting to address the profound problem of suicide, which causes enormous distress and is a terrible waste of human potential in Aboriginal communities. These programs aim to build resilience and social-emotional skills. We are currently embarking on a joint Men’s Shed research project where men can support each other and elders can mentor the youth into cultural life. And we are investing in youth programs – learning about culture, learning about law and learning about land helps make people strong in spirit and strong in identity and decreases the problem behaviours and self-harming.

How can you help prevent suicide?

Talk to those at risk. Listen to their story. Help them experience and process feelings rather than acting on them. Respond to their cry for help.

What are suicide risk factors?

• Family history of suicide
• Bullying
• Sexual abuse
• Imprisonment
• Depression
• Psychosis
• Increased isolation and failure
• Previous attempts

Suicide can devastate family members who can suffer life-long with the loss. It can lead to a ‘contagion’ of suicide.

CASSE helps people to work through unwanted feelings:

• Fear
• Hopelessness
• Despair
• Incompetence

CASSE helps guide people from a dangerous state of mind to a contained state of mind, building on strong friendships, family connections and community support.

One wasted life is too many!

If you are concerned or you want to tell your story, contact Pamela Nathan, Director of CASSE Aboriginal Australian Relations Program. The following services are all available on site or via Skype:

• Supervision
• Consultations – community, organisational, individual, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
• Training
• Information sessions
• Trauma
• Understanding Violence
• Understanding Sex Offending
• Holding and Healing

Email pamela.nathan@casse.org.au