suicideTALK: An overview

suicideTALK is a community-oriented program exploring issues in suicide prevention. Deaths and injuries due to suicide can be reduced. Ways to reduce them are known but have never been attempted on a sufficient scale to demonstrate effectiveness. The allocation of funds for suicide prevention and research is a relatively recent development. The amount of funding lags far behind that for other preventable injuries and deaths. Communities are unaware that suicide is a serious community health problem. suicideTALK is designed to help make our communities aware that something can be done to prevent suicide.

suicideTALK is aimed at most all members of and groups in a community. Its goal is to help make direct, open and honest talk about suicide easier. Such talk may:

• encourage life-protection, preservation and promotion activities,
• facilitate community awareness of suicide as a serious community health problem,
• reduce the stigma and taboo surrounding suicide,
• increase personal commitment to and action in preventing suicide, and
• support the spread of training opportunities and networking activities.

It would be ideal if most members of a community attended a SuicideTALK session. Exposure of even ten per cent of a community’s population to suicideTALK may make a significant difference in the support given to suicide prevention activities. We hope and believe that suicideTALK can contribute to a suicide-safer community.

suicideTALK is an exploration of the question, “Should we talk about suicide?” By looking at this question in a number of different ways, session members may discover and uncover some of the beliefs and ideas about suicide in their community—and in themselves.

Ways to help a person at risk are discussed. The pain of those touched by suicide is acknowledged. But SuicideTALK is primarily an exploration of some of the most fundamental attitudinal issues about suicide. It helps session members clarify their beliefs. Such clarification typically creates a strong foundation for future suicide prevention work. Session members then examine the range of things they could do to help prevent suicide. Session members are encouraged to act on their commitments in the future and to invest in suicide prevention in their community.

Invest in a suicide-safer community! Help increase your community's awareness of suicide as a serious community health problem. Help your community translate its desire to prevent suicide into specific suicide preventing activities.