Seven Australians take their lives daily

Seven Australians take their lives every day and about another 180 will survive an
attempt.
More Australians die from suicide than those claimed in motor vehicle accidents in a
year, or skin cancer or from deadly assaults.
Despite its scale, many Australians miss the warning signs so also miss an
opportunity to provide some potentially life-saving help.
Suicide Prevention Australia chief executive officer Ryan McGlaughlin says
Australians are more aware of how to perform CPR "after seeing it glamorised many
times on television and movies" than in how to address issues related to suicide.
"If you were to ask how we as people can help those around us with suicidal
thoughts, many would be left scratching their heads," Mr McGlaughlin said on Friday,
World Suicide Prevention Day.
Mr McGlaughlin said among the aims of the day was to reduce the stigma surrounding
the issue and to educate the community on the "staggering figures" at its core.
Suicide was Australia's most likely cause of death for men aged under 44 and for
women under 34.
"We know that about 2200 of our loved ones are lost to suicide every year ... 65,000
of our fellow Australians actually attempt suicide," Mr McGlaughlin said.
"More women attempt suicide, and more men lose their lives."
The figures are shocking but they are actually an improvement as Australia's suicide
rate has been in decline since 1997, when it hit a peak of about 2900 deaths over
the year.
Mr McGlaughlin said more could be done within the community, and also with improved
training for "front-line and first-responder" services, to prevent the unnecessary
deaths.
"Take police for example ... less than 10 per cent have had any mental health
first-aid training and in suicide risk-assessment tools," he said.
"No wonder this is such a taboo in our society when we haven't yet got the education
(for police) right."
The chair of the Australian Suicide Prevention Advisory Council, Ian Webster, said
on Friday "no harm" would come from initiating a supportive conversation with
someone who appeared to be suicidal.
"There's a great fear amongst people that you have to use special techniques, but
it's a conversation - `How are you today? What are you going to do today? How do you
feel in the mornings? What are you looking forward to?'," Professor Webster said.
"The most important thing to do, when people are distressed, is to be quite open and
normal with them."
Lifeline Australia's national adviser on suicide prevention, Susan Beaton, also said
it was a myth that broaching the issue of suicide with a troubled person would "sow
the seed".
"There is no evidence to support that, but there is evidence to support that it is
enormously relieving for a person to say `Yeah, I am feeling suicidal`," Ms Beaton
said.
"We certainly have a huge need for medical and mental health services to address
suicide prevention, but what we also need is for the general public to be more
informed and less afraid of having these conversations."
Lifeline Australia's 24-hour call centres (on 13 11 14) take about 1250 calls every
day with about 50 of these directly related to suicide.
*Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can also contact
the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263).



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