SUICIDE IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS
Download this Leaflet in pdf format here
Download PIPS Newry and Mourne Leaflet here
Download the Reflection Booklet here
Download the Bereavement Front Cover here
SUICIDE MYTH |
SUICIDE FACT |
| People who talk about suicide are just trying to get attention. | People who complete suicide usually talk about it first. They are in pain and often times reach out for help because they do not know what to do and have lost hope. Always take talk about suicide seriously. |
| People who are suicidal definitely want to die. | The vast majority of people who are suicidal do not want to die. They are in pain, and they want to stop the pain. |
| Once people decide to die by suicide, there is nothing you can do to stop them | Suicide can be prevented. Most people who are suicidal do not want to die; they just want to stop their pain. |
| Suicide only strikes people of a certain gender, race, financial status, age, etc. | Suicide can strike anyone |
| You should never ask people who are suicidal if they are thinking about suicide or if they have thought about a method, because just talking about it will give them the idea. | Asking people if they are thinking about suicide does not give them the idea for suicide. It is important to talk about suicide with people who are suicidal because you will learn more about their mindset and intentions, and allow them to diffuse some of the tension that is causing their suicidal feelings. |
| Young people never think about suicide, they have their entire life ahead of them. | Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24. |
| Males are more likely to be suicidal. | Males COMPLETE suicide more often than females. However, females ATTEMPT suicide three times more often than men. Perhaps the reason fewer females complete is that they tend to choose less immediate and more reversible methods than males. |
Launch of the Help Card
(Click to Download Helpcard) or email: info@pipsnewryandmourne.org
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In recent years there has been much publicity around suicide most often with regard to major cities like Belfast or Dublin. But suicide is an issue relevant to all areas. It is a social phenomenon that impacts on all communities and knows no boundaries of politics, religion, culture or class. It is a major public health issue but it is preventable. Elsewhere suicide rates have been reduced when there has been a collective and co-ordinated approach that destigmatised and resourced mental health services, provided structures and services promoting health and, supported families and communities affected by suicide. This is a social problem that requires a social process where Government and government agencies, Health Services, Churches and local communities work together. Although Newry & Mourne may not have received the same media attention as some other places, this area is not exempt from the shadow of suicide. Many families in this part of the country have been devastated by the loss of a loved one who has taken their own lives. In the major cities services have been shown to be inadequate; in areas like Newry & Mourne the gaps are even more acutely felt. Things have begun to change, however, with the inception of a regional Suicide Prevention Strategy last year. But this will take time to consolidate and filter through. As with the Suicide Prevention Strategy itself, often the initiatives and impetus for change has come from within communities themselves. PIPS Newry & Mourne was set up by local people in 2003 At the time there was little public awareness about the fact of suicide in the community with even less support for families and friends suffering the pain of stigma and loss. On the 26th August 2007 Pips Newry & Mourne will be launching their latest initiative in the Newry area. A Help Card has been designed and produced by the group. The card encourages and facilitates people who feel themselves at risk to talk and seek help. The card provides suggestions to focus the mind of those in distress and also contact numbers for support. Encouraging respect for help seeking behaviour is an essential protective measure imperative to the prevention of suicide and the development of positive attitudes to mental health. The card is a tangible reminder of this and a tool to bridge the gap between moments of despair and reaching out for help. This is a community initiative premised on the importance of a whole of community response to a complex social problem - ‘Social connections save lives |
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