TW: Suicide Prevention Month

[LindorDoubleChoc]

I have been seeing quite a few videos about Suicide Prevention Month in my Facebook and Instagram feeds.

What does Suicide Prevention Month mean to you and what do you think it is meant to mean to you and everyone else generally?

I guess I would be roasted alive if I said very sadly probably everyone on the planet (apart from mercifully the very young) is aware of suicide and will have known a person who is no longer here through suicide, and so what exactly does anyone think can be achieved by having a prevention month?

If you have lost someone close through suicide (as I have) - does Suicide Prevention Month mean anything in particular to you? Perhaps it is a way for people who have suffered loss to feel that they are seen and heard. I don't know.

My gut reaction is the "prevention" word in there suggests family and friends could have done something to prevent the loss of their loved one, and that's usually completely unfair. It is like foisting guilt onto grieving people.

For me every day is Suicide prevention day. I lost my son to suicide, will be 6 years on Christmas day

I try and raise awareness of helplines, places like Andys Man Club and also local "talking" groups for men and women.

I have a memorial bench at at a local beauty spot in memory of my son. The plaque has his name and the phone number for the Samaritains, I know it is has helped at least one person, a young woman. I hope it has helped more that I don't know about.

So really September isn't any different to any other month