Nottinghamshire County Council to raise awareness of suicide prevention, self-harm and mental health in month-long campaign

A council is running a month-long campaign to raise awareness of mental health, from Suicide Prevention Awareness Day to World Mental Health Day.

Nottinghamshire County Council’s campaign, from September 10 to October 10, will focus on suicide prevention, self-harm and mental health, and will also highlight the help available for anyone who needs support.

People are being encouraged to show their support for suicide prevention and improving mental health by making time to look after their mental wellbeing and checking in with others, completing the 20-minute suicide awareness training at zerosuicidealliance.com, getting involved in community events, and wearing green on October 10 to mark Mental Health Awareness Day.

Scott Carlton, Nottinghamshire County Council’s cabinet member for communities and public health said: “We need to challenge the stigma and negative attitudes surrounding the topics of suicide, self-harm and mental health. We need to promote the ways in which people can protect their mental health and get the support they need. The theme of World Suicide Prevention Day is ‘Changing the narrative on suicide’ and it encourages people to engage in open and honest discussions. Every conversation, no matter how small, helps to build a more supporting and understanding society.

“The theme for World Mental Health Day 2024 is mental health in the workplace. We spend a significant amount of time at work each day and this year’s theme highlights the importance of creating mentally healthy work environments and addressing mental health challenges in the workplace.

“I hope this month-long campaign will encourage people to get talking about their mental wellbeing. Whether we’re thinking about suicide prevention, awareness of self-harm, or the state of our mental health, shifting the conversation from a culture of silence and lack of understanding to one of openness, empathy, and support can help people develop the confidence to seek help. People can find out what local support is available on our website. It’s important to get talking.”

Figures show that concerns around mental health, suicide and self-harm are widespread, with The Big Notts Survey finding that two in five, or 41%, people named their own or others’ mental health as one of their top concerns during the pandemic.

Mental health charity Mind states that one in four people will experience mental health problems of some kind each year in England, and one in six people report experiencing a common mental health problem like anxiety and depression in a week.

Over the course of a person’s lifetime, one in five have suicidal thoughts, one in 14 people self-harm and one in 15 people attempt suicide.

Suicide affects people from all walks of life, and has a devastating and long-lasting impact on friends and family members who have lost a loved one, which can create feelings of shock, guilt, sadness, confusion and shame. People can also feel that there is no support.

Mental health can fluctuate through a person’s life, depending on their circumstances and how well they feel able to manage the situation they are facing. Changes in mood are a normal part of life and can be caused by many things — work or job loss, financial worries, exams, bereavement, relationship or family pressures.

If you need support, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 for free from any phone.