It's ok to talk about suicide

Today, Tuesday 10th September is World Suicide Prevention Day, a reminder to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage open conversations. 
 

At Bromford our colleagues and customer wellbeing is very important and we understand the value of being open to support others with their mental health. One of our colleagues has shared their experience as a Samaritans Listening Volunteer.

"Hi, my name is John Wheater, I'm a Transformation and ICT Project Manager at Bromford and also volunteer for Samaritans.

"I have been a Samaritans Listening Volunteer for 18 months and I find it extremely rewarding to be there for people when they need someone to talk to. Samaritan’s training and support is excellent, really comprehensive and it prepares you for the sort of calls you’ll be listening to. One of the things I was surprised about during the training is we don’t shy away from asking people if they are thinking about taking their own life. We are trained to listen for triggers during a call, things like ‘I just can’t cope anymore’ or ‘I want it all to stop’. 
 

"If we hear a trigger like this, we clarify with the caller what they mean. Sometimes their answer won’t be related to suicide, they may have just had a bad day that they want to finish. However, at other times people may say they don’t want to be alive anymore. At this point we talk to the caller about their thoughts; have they felt this way before? Have they gone so far as to think about a plan, what might the impact be on their friends and family. Samaritans believe in self-determination; we won’t try and talk someone out of taking their own life, but we absolutely err on the side of life and will listen and talk to callers about their suicidal thoughts. Often this helps people see things in a different way once they have had some time and space to talk things through.
 

"The main point I’d like to make is: It is ok to talk about suicide. Asking someone if they are feeling suicidal will not make things worse or make them decide to take their own life".

What can you do to help?

• Watch out for changes in behaviour that could mean someone’s struggling to cope. 
• Speak up to let someone know that there is support available. 
• Play your part by reaching out to anyone you’re concerned about. 
• Ditch the stigma – suicidal thoughts are far more common than most people know – so let’s talk about it! 

It can be hard to find the right words to talk openly about how we’re feeling. But when someone is dealing with difficult thoughts or worries, having someone there to listen can make all the difference.
 

Here are some tips to help you talk to someone you’re worried about:

• Choose a safe, quiet space, give the other person your full attention and put away your phone 
  ask how they’re doing, using open questions that need more than a yes or no answer, such as “How do you feel?” or “What’s that like for you?” 
• Listen without judgement - Try not to jump straight in with your advice or opinions.
• Don’t be afraid to ask someone if they’re having suicidal thoughts - It gives them permission to tell you how they feel.
• Let them know that there is always someone there to listen - They can call Samaritans free day or night on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.
• Remember to look after yourself - Samaritans is here to support you too. 

How do you feel? 

Let’s ditch the stigma and talk openly about mental health. If you're concerned about someone, ask how they’re doing, listen without judgement, and remind them there’s support available. Samaritans is here 24/7: call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.