World Mental Health Day is on 10th October 2019 and this year the theme is suicide and suicide prevention. Suicide is the leading cause of death in young people (20 – 34 years old) in the UK and the second leading cause of death between 15 – 29 year old globally (Time To Change). There has been seen to be an increase in suicide rates in adolescents in recent years calling for more action to be taken in adolescent mental health services as well as more importance to be placed on open conversations with adolescents around their mental health. It has been reported that young people are experiencing higher distress due to social media, financial instability, increasing academic pressure and global politics (H Bould, B Mars, P Moran, L Biddle & D Gunnel., 2019)
Time To Change are relaunching their ‘Ask Twice’ campaign on World Mental Health Day. This campaign sets out to encourage people to ask more than once if they notice a friend, family member or colleague behaving differently to normal. Often a person who is struggling will simply reply with “I’m Fine” when asked how they are and asking again encourages them to open up about how they are really feeling. By starting a more open dialogue with friends it can help decrease stigma as well as offering support to the friends that need it.
The theme of suicide for this year’s World Mental Health Day, along with the ‘Ask Twice’ campaign, encourage people to open up about their problems before things get too difficult. Often people who are feeling suicidal also feel as though they are alone and that no one would understand what they are going through, so by showing a friend, family member or colleague that they are not alone and you want to try and understand can help reduce those suicidal feelings.
If you ‘Ask twice’ and realise you have a friend in need of mental health care, The Eaves can help them to arrange an appointment with one of our qualified psychologists, counsellors or psychotherapists who offer private therapy across our 4 practices in Surrey. We also offer counselling and CBT through the NHS Mind Matters IAPT service. Please click the contact a member of our team for more information.
Please note The Eaves is unable to offer emergency care. If you are feeling suicidal please call the Samaritans on 116 123 (open 24 hours a day everyday) or seek medical attention by calling 999 or visiting your local hospital.
References
Time To Change – https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/get-involved/get-your-workplace-involved/resources/mental-health-calendar/wmhd#toc-2
H Bould, B Mars, P Moran, L Biddle & D Gunnel., 2019 – https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)31102-X/fulltext