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Thursday 10 October 2019 marks World Mental Health Day (WMHD). This day gives us an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health issues and advocate against social stigma.
1 in 4 of us will experience mental health problems this year and having a colleague in your corner can make all the difference. That’s why this World Mental Health Day our team of trained Ecovis Mental Health First Aid Champions are sharing some of their knowledge and resources with our employees to support our confidence in having conversations around mental health and build our understanding of mental health issues in and out of the workplace.
This year, WFMH has chosen ‘suicide prevention’ as the theme for the day. While suicide and self-harm are not mental health problems themselves, they are closely linked with mental distress. Although undoubtedly a difficult topic to talk about, the devastating reality is that the number of suicides is increasing both in the UK and worldwide.
Why can people feel like suicide is the only option?
There is obviously no one single reason why a person may choose to take their own life, indeed the reasons behind suicide are very complex. Often it is when many factors come together that people are at the greatest risk. Some factors which may indicate a person is at risk include;
What can society do to help? There are a vast number of charities and support networks available to anyone who may be suffering from mental ill-health. Some of these are detailed below, but the message the WFMH want to convey today is regarding hope. People will turn to suicide when they are out of hope and feel it is the only option they have left. The WFMH are promoting the WAIT approach to suicide prevention to show how we can all help others in times of distress:
Remember that the Ecovis Mental Health First Aid Champions are here to help. We can listen to you, discuss your concerns, and point you in the direction of additional support if needed.
Many thanks,
Your Ecovis Mental Health First Aid Champions