Suicide prevention

I recently read a very sad article on Japan Today about Japan's suicide rate. Last year, for the 12th consecutive year, over 30,000 people in Japan took their own lives, accounting for 3% of all deaths there. Russia is the only country with a higher suicide rate (and that thought makes me sad too, for the Russians).

After reading about that I heard a radio ad for Salvation Army suicide prevention training and I thought I'd look it up, then I checked out what Lifeline has too, and I came to the realisation that suicide really is no small problem here in Australia either.

According to a very recent Lifeline article suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians under the age of 44.

I had to read that a few times before it sunk in. Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians under the age of 44.

Deaths from suicide are almost double road related deaths for men and women in Australia between the ages of 15 and 44. So every time you read in the newspaper about a young person killed on the road, there's almost two young people you don't read about who've taken their own lives.

Everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention. What's yours?

- You can do something about suicide prevention (women)

- You can do something about suicide prevention (men)

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. There is HOPE.