A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Following the tragic death of Robin Williams, Lifeline Australia saw a 25% increase in calls. When faced with someone in crisis, many people don’t know what to do, or how to help. Some are concerned about making things worse. This means many people don’t approach the person at all. The person in crisis may feel [...]
Mental illness is not a communicable disease, but there’s a strong body of evidence that suicide is still contagious. Publicity surrounding a suicide has been repeatedly and definitively linked to a subsequent increase in suicide, especially among young people. Analysis suggests that at least 5 percent of youth suicides are influenced by contagion. - Margot Sanger-Katz [...]
Experts say that something is changing that makes life seem more challenging for people, especially young people. Anxiety disorders are becoming common, and a study released in January 2010 showed that depression and suicidal tendencies are on the rise on university campuses in Canada and the U.S. - Adrianne Hill via Mental Health Disorders on the [...]
The National Children’s Commissioner is examining how children and young people under 18 years can be better protected from intentional self-harm and suicidal behaviour. Article 6 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child gives to every child the inherent right to life.[i] United Nations guidelines for periodic reports to the Committee on the Rights of [...]
Heightened newspaper coverage after a suicide might have a significant impact on the initiation of some teenage suicide clusters, according to new research published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal. The study reveals that the content of media reports is also important, with more prominent stories (ie, published on the front page) and those that describe [...]
I was bullied as a kid. That might be hard for you to imagine if you’ve met me in person. As a former representative footy player who stands around 191cm and over 110kg, I don’t come across as your typical ‘victim.’ But I used to dread going to school on a daily basis. Each day [...]
The conviction of an American ‘‘suicide voyeur’’ who encouraged a British man and Canadian woman to take their own lives in an internet chat room has been overturned on free speech grounds. - Philip Sherwell via Suicide voyeur William Melchert-Dinkel, who posed as a female nurse and went by the name 'Falcon Girl', has case overturned.
Consider this: almost twice as many Australians die from suicide each year than die in traffic accidents. Countless more struggle daily with their self-medication and prescribed treatment for mental illness. via Ian Thorpe, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Matthew Reilly and a very tough day.
The recent global financial crisis led some 5,000 people in 54 countries to commit suicide, according to findings in the British Medical Journal released Thursday. via Suicide Rates Up By 5,000 Because Of 2008 Global Recession: British Medical Journal.
I have recently returned from a trip to Africa. In the weeks leading up to my trip I was often asked, “Why would you go to Africa to talk on technology?” Because the world is truly a global village! I have seen it with my own eyes. Other than perhaps extremely remote areas, almost [...]
