Suicide Prevention Month aims to change the narrative

September is a notable month in the calendar year. It sees children go back to school, students move back to university, and a switch from summer to autumn. However, September’s significance goes beyond a return to academia and the changing of seasons: September is Suicide Awareness Month.

Between March 2023 and May 2024, 5,324 deaths by suicide were reported in England, 519 of these (almost 10%) were in people aged 10 to 24. Today, suicide is the main cause of death in young people aged under 35 in the UK. Though these statistics are striking, it is only when these numbers are put into perspective that the severity of the youth mental health crisis can truly be seen.

If you were to visit Westfield White City between the 9th and 11th of September, you would not have been able to miss the thousands of multi-coloured balloons suspended from the ceiling of the shopping centre.

This eye-catching display was surrounded by shoppers looking on, taking pictures, and admiring its beauty. If those at the shopping centre ventured downstairs, the true meaning of this installation would be revealed. Each of the 6,929 balloons symbolised a young life lost to suicide in the last decade.

These interviews allowed families to detail the lives of their child, brother, or sister, and emphasised how suicide is the last symptom of severe mental illnesses

The installation was the centre of the ‘Missed Birthdays’ campaign by charity CALM, Campaign Against Living Miserably, that looks at youth suicide from a new perspective. Each balloon had a number representing the age that young person would have turned on their next birthday. On either side of the striking archway of balloons, speakers played voice notes from those close to the individuals who took their own lives.

Alongside this installation, in one of the UK’s biggest and most visited shopping centres, CALM launched a CARE kit. This kit aims to help those that are worried about a young person with its four sections: check in, ask how they are, remain close, and expert help (offering essential advice).

This campaign received mass media attention with ‘This Morning’ presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard visiting Westfield White City. Families of the individuals, who had a balloon representing them and their lives, were then interviewed. These interviews allowed families to detail the lives of their child or sibling, and emphasised how suicide is the last symptom of severe mental illnesses.

Asking open questions, validating their feelings, and resisting dismissal of their thoughts are crucial when approaching conversations with people in crisis

CALM’s powerful campaign fit this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day theme, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”. The installation, alongside its accompanying toolkit and advertisements, has highlighted the extremity of the mental health crisis facing the UK in a unique way.

Another charity whose work was highlighted on September 10, which is World Suicide Prevention Day, was Samaritans. Their aim this year was to increase the number of conversations about suicide. As part of their campaigns, Rebekah, who used the Samaritans’ helpline, shared her story, saying that she wishes people were not afraid to ask about suicidal thoughts.

Papyrus, a charity which aims to prevent young suicide, has a page on its site entitled “How to have difficult conversations about suicide,” its advice encouraging having an empathetic approach and avoiding judgement. Asking open questions, validating their feelings, and resisting dismissal of their thoughts are crucial when approaching conversations with people in crisis.

This policy paper was published under Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government, a government which has also faced criticism for its lack of mention of mental health in its Spring Budget

While talking about suicide and mental health is crucial, change from those in power is also necessary, and is what these campaigns and other leading mental health charities aim to achieve.

Last year’s Suicide Awareness Month saw the publication of a policy paper detailing the 5-year cross-sector strategy to prevent suicide in England. The priority areas for action include addressing common risk factors linked to suicide, providing effective crisis support, and targeting help to priority groups.

This policy paper was published under Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government, a government which has also faced criticism for its limited mention of mental health in its Spring Budget. Sunak not only faced noise from mental health charities during his time as Prime Minister, but also beforehand in his role as Chancellor.

When YoungMinds launched their “Fund the Hubs Campaign”, which is ongoing, they asked for government funding for early support hubs across the UK. Sunak was broached on this proposal, he never delivered on their request. Today, the charity is still fighting for the funding enabling them to open these hubs.

The Wellbeing Hub, which is located inside Senate House, offers on-the-day appointments as well as pre-booked meetings

According to YoungMinds in 2019, around two-thirds of young people said that they could not find mental health support when they first needed it. It is a lack of early intervention that leads to severe mental health problems, crisis, and then, in some cases, suicide.

In 2023, the Higher Education Minister at the time, Robert Halfon, called on English universities to commit to prioritising mental health by this year’s Suicide Awareness Month. Currently, universities have no duty of care for those studying in their institutions, and over 100,000 people signed a petition calling for staff to have this duty over adult students.  However, this petition was unsuccessful as the Government and higher education sector said that further legislation would be disproportionate to what is needed.

The University of Warwick’s Wellbeing and Student Support sector aims to provide early help to students facing difficulties with their mental health. The Wellbeing Hub, which is located inside Senate House, offers on-the-day appointments as well as pre-booked meetings.

Campaigns during this suicide awareness month emphasised the amount of resources that are available to those struggling, resources that could easily be missed

Additionally, the University is committed to “creating a suicide-safer community”. In September 2018, Universities UK published guidance on how safer-suicide plans should be developed. This led the University of Warwick to publish their “Suicide-Safer Strategy & Action Plan,” which is reviewed annually.

Campaigns during this suicide awareness month emphasised the amount of resources that are available to those struggling, resources that could easily be missed. Charities, such as those mentioned above, are constantly working to ensure that help is available to those in need. Equally, students at the University of Warwick can seek guidance and support from the Wellbeing Hub or personal tutors.

As September passes and we get used to the return of school-run traffic and colder weather, we must also get used to conversations and campaigns about suicide – it is only through this that change can be made.