This week, 5th-11th September, marks Suicide Prevention Week and people across Highland Perthshire are being encouraged to talk about their mental health.
Suicide Prevention Week aims to raise awareness and encourage people to talk about their own mental health and weelbeing openly as well as providing access to the support available to local residents.
The theme of this years awareness week is Creating Hope Through Action.
NHS Tayside Public Health Consultant, Dr Jane Bray, said:
“Suicide Prevention Week is an opportunity for us to raise awareness of suicide, encouraging people to talk about it openly and to get support.
“Each and every suicide is a tragedy and has a profound and long lasting impact on families, friends and communities.
“Across Tayside we are working hard to prevent suicide. We have established a new multi-agency Tayside Suicide Prevention Network which brings together expertise from across Tayside in order to increase the effectiveness and impact of suicide prevention activity.
“COVID-19 has been a challenge for everyone and it has highlighted the importance of mental health and wellbeing for us all.
“Suicide prevention is everybody’s business and we all have a role to play.
“Everyone should be able to share how they feel and talk about their mental health.
“Please remember that if you or someone you love is going through a difficult time, there is support available.”
Information on support available locally can be found on the Tayside Suicide Help website at: http://suicidehelp.co.uk/
A new national campaign, FC United to Prevent Suicide aims at reaching people through football relalted stories and have created a video on the difficulty of saying the word ‘suicide’. https://youtu.be/ZJn1X2r1_aM
You can also access resources through NHS Taysides online self help mental health directory which highlights local mental health support and advice organisations both in Tayside and nationally: http://www.livinglifewelltayside.scot.nhs.uk/
If you need to speak to someone, you can contact:
Samaritans: 116 123
Breathing Space: 0800 83 85 87
NHS 24: 111