Suicide - Lets Talk About It

Support, By Saeed, 19th July, 2007

What would you do if your friend mentions considering suicide? Would you pass it off as an uncharacteristic joke or would alarm bells ring? Would you chastise your friend for ‘going all weird’ on you, even if that unwelcome remark was a genuine cry for help?

No other topic has fostered such revulsion and paranoia amongst society than suicide. It is often discussed in hushed tones as if the mere mention of the topic is illegal. This subject is blacklisted from virtually all secondary school curricula and it is glossed over by the media unless something sensational occurs. Even if that were the case, the issue would be reported in a voyeuristic way, as if we are immune from this social malaise.

According to a survey conducted by SANE Australia, suicide is a prominent public health problem in the ‘lucky country’ with over 2,000 deaths each year. For every person who kills themselves, there are at least another 30 people who attempt suicide. Suicide deaths often stems from cases of severe depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Dr Barbara Hocking, Executive Director of SANE Australia, admits that the discussion of suicide is still considerably taboo but there are signs that the tide is changing. “Every one is very aware that too many people are dying of suicide,” she says. “And people are now wanting to know if there is anything that they could have done beforehand.”

Fortunately, this proactive push by the public can also be found when it comes to understanding depression. Organisations such as SANE Australia and Beyond Blue have made a concerted effort in educating the public about the illness and recent surveys show that it is having an effect. “Over 80% of the population now recognise that mental illnesses like depression are a medical condition which requires treatment”. Dr Hocking says. “But we also did find that 1 in 4 people don’t know the early signs of the illness”.

It took a suicide attempt for Denielle Campbell to realise that she was in the grips of a severe depression. She describes the sleepless nights fighting the illness as being full of battles. “I wake up feeling totally drained,” she says. “Then I really had to push myself to have a shower. That is a milestone when I am able to do that. Then I look around and I am thinking ‘I can’t be bothered, what am I going to do’”.

It was Denielle’s denial of her depression that caused her condition to spiral out of control. One day it just became too much for her to handle. “I just left the house and sort of drank all night, I gambled and I tried to take away the pain, I got home and I just thought ‘what’s the point? I am not good to anyone and every one will be better off without me.’”

Denielle credits her mother for rescuing her from the edge, for she was the only one brave enough to ask Denielle how she could help. “She took me to the doctor and said to me ‘why are you doing this? Tell me how are you feeling’. She asked those hard questions that made me question myself.”

Dr. Hocking states that people who have mental illnesses rarely talk about their condition in fear of being ostracised by the community. It is this stigma, she feels, that acts as a major stumbling point when addressing issues of depression and suicide prevention.

“Sometimes people think ‘I am the only one feeling this way and I shouldn’t dare talk about it because they will think that I am crazy, make fun out of me or treat me differently.’ We want to reduce that,” she says. “We want people to know that it is okay to talk about what they are feeling,” she says.

SANE Australia recommends the following if you are concerned about someone:

-Let them know that you are concerned, and that you are there to help.
-Ask if they are thinking about suicide and if they have made any plans.
-Don’t agree to keep their plans secret.
-Don’t assume they will get better without help or that they will seek help on their own.
-Take action to get help such as making an appointment with a doctor.
-If a plan to end life has been made, try to keep them safe and contact a Psychiatric Emergency team and the police on 000 immediately.

Factsheets on suicide prevention can now be found at www.sane.org or contact the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) for further information.