Latest news with #suicideprevention
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
'My brother died by suicide - this is how I'm honouring his 40th birthday'
This July, I'm running 40 kilometres in 32 days to honour my big brother Billy on what would have been his 40th birthday. Each run is for a moment we shared; childhood memory; part of him that I carry with me every day. Billy died by suicide last November. Me and Billy — where every smile tells a story (Image: NQ staff) Since then, my world has changed in ways I could never have imagined. But through the heartbreak, something meaningful took shape. Alongside my partner, Harley Stacey Green, we created a support group called Because of Billy — a place for people grieving the loss of someone to suicide. It started as a small circle. We're from Welling, and when we started this group, we didn't know how many people it would reach. Just a handful of people who needed somewhere to talk, cry or simply sit without needing to explain their pain. Because of Billy: Grief support group grows from personal loss to community (Image: NQ staff) Now, three months in, it's become a steady and supportive community. We've seen friendships form, tears shared, and tiny steps toward healing. The 40km challenge is not just a tribute to Billy. It's a way to raise funds so we can keep showing up for others walking through the same kind of grief. Each kilometre run for Billy helps others find strength in shared grief (Image: NQ staff) Your support helps us: Provide refreshments and comforts at every session Create welcome packs and support materials for new members Invite trained mental health speakers and grief facilitators Host remembrance walks, creative healing days and support events Print outreach materials to reach more people in need Offer travel support for anyone struggling to attend We've set a fundraising goal of £500 and every donation genuinely matters. This isn't about charity. It's about community. It's about helping people feel seen, held and less alone during the worst time of their lives. Donate: Join us: Saturday, August 2, Danson Park, Bexleyheath Follow the journey: On August 2, what would have been Billy's 40th birthday, we'll come together in Danson Park for a 4km walk or run, followed by a balloon release in his honour. Everyone is welcome — whether you're a runner or not, whether you knew Billy or just want to support someone who's grieving. This journey is personal, but it's not just mine. Every step I run is for Billy. Every pound raised will help someone else carry their grief with a little more support.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
How can Hongkongers seek help for depression, and what treatment is available?
Hong Kong was shocked on Sunday by a suspected murder-suicide case in which a father with a history of mental health issues was believed to have taken his own life after killing his wife and two children at a Tsuen Wan hotel. No suicide note was found, but the 37-year-old man had posted on social media before the incident that he was struggling mentally and was very worried about not being able to take care of his family. A source said he had suffered from depression. Police psychologist Michael Fung Ho-kin explained that emotional illnesses could not be 'cured' by a hike or a meal after which the sufferer could 'go home and become happy again'. The Post looks at the prevalence of depression in the city and the different treatment strategies. 1. What is depression? Depression is a common mood disorder affecting 5 per cent of men and 10 per cent of women in developed countries. It is characterised by symptoms such as a persistently depressed mood, loss of interest and energy, and negative thoughts.
CBS News
2 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Maryland therapist worries less LGTBQ+ youth will seek help with 988 changes in effect
It's been nearly two weeks since the 988 dedicated lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth discontinued, and a Maryland therapist is worried about the long-term impact this will have. When the Trump administration announced in June that the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline dedicated to these youth would end, advocates warned it would have life-threatening implications. It was better known as the Press 3 option. For at least one therapist, she said the impacts could lead to these youth hesitating to get help. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, said the 988's dedicated LGBTQ+ youth lifeline ended because the funding for it had been exhausted. The agency stressed these youth would still be able to get help if they still called 988. However, Xiomara Arrieta, a therapist with ThriveWorks, said she heard these youth feel like they're losing representation in this support. "Some people don't have that availability of people in the community who they can look up living their truth," Arrieta said. Arrieta adds that losing the lifeline takes away the ability for these youth to talk to someone who may fully understand their problems. "With the way gender is affirmed or not important for people to kind of come in and get it — as opposed to explaining the genre or how someone is presenting and why they are," Arrieta said. Earlier this month, WJZ reported local advocates were preparing to step up to fill the gap. One of them is the Pride Center of Maryland. Its CEO, Cleo Manago, said he wasn't surprised when he first heard about this lifeline ending. In response, Manago said they were bolstering youth programming and other suicide prevention resources, as well as creating a suicide warm line. "[A suicide warm line] means that there'll be live people to speak to about any suicide concerns or ideations [during traditional work hours]," Manago said. "For the rest of the time, there will be a recording that will alert people where they can call, where they can go." Behavioral Health System Baltimore stressed that the Central Maryland 988 helpline is still going to provide dedicated support for LGBTQ+ youth. The 988 Central Maryland helpline gets about 4,500 calls a month.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
More support available for vets facing mounting mental health pressures
Having worked as a vet for five decades, much of it with animals across the remote north of Western Australia, Dave Morrell often finds himself reflecting on his career path. His time as a vet began humbly, living in a caravan with his family, taking consultations at the park's entrance and operating on clients' kitchen tables. But while his dedication to the animals of Broome and the West Kimberley has not faded, the demanding pace and long hours can take a heavy toll. "The other night, I started work at one in the morning and I finished a cattle boat at 7am," he said. "Then I had to drive 400 kilometres and prick test cattle all day. "I was very weary at the end of the day." Dr Morrell said the frustration of not being able to heal every animal had affected him deeply when he was a younger vet. "I broke down in tears a few times, feeling I was inadequate and I couldn't fix everything that was presented to me," he said. Dr Morrell said it was the shattering of romantic "James Herriot notions" upon entering the field, as well as low compensation and general under-appreciation, that vet professionals struggled with most. James Herriot was a British veterinary surgeon best known for writing books about his practice in the Yorkshire Dales, which were adapted for the All Creatures Great and Small television series and film. Research shows veterinarians are four times more likely to die by suicide than the general population, and two times more likely than other healthcare professionals. Additional funding is now being allocated to a program aimed at easing the emotional toll of the role. Research commissioned by the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) in 2021 found that challenging client interactions, workplace bullying, long hours, and high workloads were among the most common factors contributing to the condition of vet workers' mental health. More than 66 per cent of respondents said they had experienced a mental health condition, compared with 43 per cent of the general population. On the back of the study, the AVA launched a veterinary wellness initiative delivering psychological health and safety awareness training sessions. It was made available to 50 workplaces between September 2023 and December 2024. Kelley Johnson, a former veterinary nurse and now manager of a vet hospital in Melbourne, jumped at the opportunity to participate. She said the program facilitator had asked her colleagues and staff members questions, and their answers were submitted anonymously before being displayed for all to see. "I suppose I thought there were a lot of areas where I felt we were doing really well as employers and managers, and we found that we weren't. "We discovered that there was conflict that we weren't aware of. There were people that were feeling less than psychologically safe." AVA vice-president Diana Barker said the pilot version of the program had received "a massive amount" of positive feedback. The AVA has now been awarded a grant of nearly $190,000 from the non-profit Zoetis Foundation to expand its program. "This will allow us to expand our Cultivating Safe Teams program, so we intend to make this program available to every single individual veterinary team member in Australia, either online or face-to-face," Dr Barker said. The grant funds will also be used to develop a program called CST ACTION, intended to help workplaces implement strategies to ensure working as a veterinary professional does not negatively affect mental health. Dr Morrell said he was happy to hear that help was being provided. "It's good to see that they're aware of the issue and addressing it, and I hope the people who are in a bad way take advantage of it," he said. The AVA is planning a second veterinary wellness study for later this year.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Samaritans to close around half its 200 branches as volunteers raise fears over working from home
Suicide prevention charity Samaritans are planning to close around half of its 200 branches across the UK and Ireland. The charity has said that its current operation is 'not sustainable' and while an exact number of closures is yet to be confirmed, volunteers have been told it is likely to affect around 100. Founded in 1953, the charity aims to prevent suicides by connecting trained volunteers with people who may be struggling. It estimates that volunteers answer a call for help every 10 seconds and many of its staff view themselves as the fourth emergency service. But plans to work from home have raised fears among volunteers, with up to a quarter of branches having voiced concerns, as some believe it will cause many to leave the charity. Some volunteers only began helping out after feeling isolated at home themselves, while others are concerned about the pressure of dealing with suicide related calls alone. Some female volunteers have also said working alone could leave them dealing with abusive and sexual calls by themselves. The charity is also considering withdrawing from some activities, such as talks in schools and providing the Veterans Emotional Support Line. 'We're not against change,' one volunteer told the BBC, 'but they've not provided any evidence these changes will improve the charity. It feels more like the professionalisation of the Samaritans.' The location of the closures are yet to be decided. Despite half in danger of being cut, the charity has insisted its volunteers will continue to be available as usual, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. The organisation is also understood to be considering scaling up other branches or increasing their volunteer capacity, as fewer but larger branches could mean less resources spent on managing buildings and more spent on delivering and improving its listening service. The charity's chief executive Julie Bentley said: 'Samaritans provides a life-saving service, day and night, 365 days a year but the changing needs of our callers and volunteers means thinking differently about the way our services need to work. 'We are engaging with our volunteers on proposed improvements that will mean we are able to answer more calls, have more volunteers on duty, and be there for more people in their darkest moments. 'Samaritans volunteers are hugely dedicated to being there for our callers and they remain at the heart of our service, but it has become increasingly clear that having over 200 branches, varying in size from 10 to 300 volunteers, is not sustainable and hinders us providing the best possible service to people who need us.' The charity's board is expected to meet about plans in September. Closures could begin in April in the UK while consultation on potential closures in Ireland could start in 2027.
