On September 10, two important mental health days come together. World Suicide Prevention Day asks us to Change the Narrative on Suicide, while R U OK? Day asks us to Ask R U OK? Any Day.
For both of us, these themes speak to something we see through our work across Tasmania, the conversations that matter most do not happen just because it is September 10. They happen when people feel able to talk openly, where we listen without judgement and where seeking help is recognised as a sign of strength.
For many people, the hardest part is knowing how to begin. We can worry about saying the wrong thing, making things worse or not knowing what to do if someone tells us they are struggling. Building confidence and skills to have these conversations matters, as does making that knowledge accessible within the communities where people spend their everyday lives.
The more comfortable we become talking about suicide safely and compassionately, the more we can reduce the silence and stigma that can prevent people from reaching out for support.
This is what makes community such an important part of suicide prevention.
In our work with Tasmanian workplaces, schools, sporting clubs and community groups, we see how a conversation can shift when people are given the opportunity to talk openly, build their understanding and learn how to support one another. Sometimes the most valuable outcome is not a person remembering a particular statistic or knowing exactly what to say. It is simply feeling more comfortable starting the conversation.
We see the same importance in the relationships that surround people every day. Relationships Australia Tasmania’s Connected and Respectful Tasmania work recognises that connection, respect and belonging are not just “nice things to have”. They are part of the conditions that help people feel supported, valued and able to reach out when things are difficult.
This is why changing the narrative cannot be left to mental health services or suicide prevention organisations alone.
The Tasmanian Suicide Prevention Community Network was founded in 2012 on the principle that suicide prevention is everybody’s business. Today, its 355 members are spread across communities throughout Tasmania, their contribution demonstrating that suicide prevention cannot and doesn’t have to sit solely within the service system.
Local knowledge, relationships and lived and living experience are essential elements in suicide prevention and supporting positive mental health and wellbeing. The people best placed to notice when something is changing are often already ther, in our workplaces, classrooms, sporting teams, families and communities.
Playing our part can start with checking in with someone. Being there to listen rather than immediately trying to solve a problem. Taking some time to learn more about suicide prevention. Being inspired by someone sharing their lived experience. Supporting a local group or taking an idea back to your sporting club, school, workplace or community.
Those actions matter. They also encourage others to act. We know from our own experience that seeing people step forward in their communities inspires us to keep doing more.
So, this September 10, by all means ask “R U OK?”. But perhaps also ask yourself, “what can I do to contribute to my community?”.
Changing the narrative on suicide prevention is not something any one organisation, service or government can achieve alone. It happens conversation by conversation, community by community and person by person. All of us have a part to play.
Dr Michael Kelly – CEO, Relationships Australia Tasmania – and Mitch McPherson – Founder, SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY.
