World Suicide Prevention Day: Hopeline UK
When was the last time your spoke to your family about your mental health?
Last updated 10th Sep 2020
To mark World Suicide Prevention Day 2020, we’ve been speaking to a leading anti-suicide charity that focuses on reducing the numbers of young people taking their own life each year.
Figures show 599 people under the age of 25 died by suicide in 2019.
Charity Papyrus is warning we need to normalise conversations about our feelings in our homes to bring those numbers down, and give young people more opportunities to talk about their feelings.
Chief Executive Ged Flynn told us: “Countless times over my years at Papyrus I’ve spoken to parents who say ‘I never thought it would happen to me.’
“You know your own child better than anyone, but building on that strength, keeping that communication open, talking to them about how life is, particularly at the moment, whether they are at work or not, whether they are in school or not, it’s about finding ways to keeping the conversation going.”
Suicide is the main cause of death in young people – male and female – under the age of 35 in the UK.
Papyrus is a charity dedicated to bringing those numbers down, and they have a range of resources available to help you make the right connection with someone who may be struggling.
If you want to know more, here’s a link and resources from the Papyrus website: www.papyrus-uk.org
If you would like to speak to someone at Hopeline UK, the number is 0800 068 4141.
Natalie is one of their advisers, she’s been telling Senior Correspondent Mick Coyle what people can expect when they pick up the phone.
Events are taking place across the globe to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.
Here's a video the organisers of #WSPD2020 want the world to see:
If you want to find mental health services where you are type your postcode into www.hubofhope.co.uk.
There, you can also find links to The Samaritans.
And you can text SHOUT to 85258 to speak via your phone