Suicide Prevention 
If you or someone that you know is thinking about suicide then help is available.
Call 999 if someone is at immediate risk of suicide and don't leave them alone.
Resources
For further information on support available click here or take a look at the resources below:
- Lifelines cards - information card on how to help someone who is thinking about suicide
- Be suicide ALERT - how to ask someone if they are feeling suicidal
- Coping with suicidal thoughts
- Suicide ALERT staff briefing
Support for people bereaved by suicide
When someone dies by suicide it can turn your world upside down and the feelings you have can be powerful, deeply painful and overwhelming. You can find out more about the help and support available to you in this leaflet.
Cruse Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government to provide free bereavement support for workplaces affected by suicide. It can be devastating when a colleague, client or patient dies by suicide - some people may experience shock and overwhelming feelings of sadness, others report feelings of guilt and blame - and managers are often unsure how to navigate the aftermath. Cruse Scotland are highly trained and experienced in dealing with grief following suicide. For more information click here.
The film, Healing The Loss, explores places of special meaning where people remember their loved one lost to suicide. One such place is the Clootie Tree in the the Scottish Borders, where a group of people bereaved by suicide have come together in their shared experience and dedicated the tree to people who have died by suicide. This film is for anyone who has experienced bereavement by suicide, has supported someone bereaved by suicide, or would like to find out more information about the After A Suicide Working Group in the Scottish Borders. Click here to watch the film.
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide helpline: 0300 111 5056 (Monday & Tuesday 9am - 5pm) https://uksobs.org/
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide local support group: 1st Tuesday of the month, 6:30 - 8:30pm, Old Gala House. Contact the local Co-ordinator on 0770 4691 111 or email scottishborders@uksobs.org
Facing the Future: Developed by Samaritans and Cruse Bereavement Support to help support people who have been bereaved by suicide. Facing the Future support groups are run on Zoom and give people the opportunity to meet others who have lost someone to suicide and receive support. https://www.facingthefuturegroups.org
PETAL (People Experiencing Trauma and Loss): Offers therapy and counselling services for people who are experiencing bereavement grief and loss as a direct result of suicide. PETAL currently also provide a service for children and young people age aged between 12 and 24. T: 01698 324502 E: Info@petalsupport.com http://www.petalsupport.com
After a suicide booklet (SAMH): Provides further information about the practical issues that might need to be faced after a suicide and discusses some of the emotions you might be experiencing.
PAPYRUS HOPELINE: Not only to support young people who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, or those concerned for them. It’s also for any professional who has had an experience with suicide and would like to talk it through with a trained professional for instance first responders, doctors, nurses, police, counsellors, teachers and pastoral staff. To debrief with one of their suicide prevention advisers, T: 0800 068 4141, text 07860 039967 or E: pat@papyrus-uk.org
Everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention
There are three areas for action that you can take to help prevent suicide:
- Actions to look after your mental health
- Actions to support others
- Actions to challenge stigma
Individuals, groups and organisations are taking action in one or more of these areas to make the Scottish Borders a suicide safer community.
Actions to look after your mental health
Anyone can be at risk of suicide, but there are things that we can do to look after our mental health and wellbeing that might make thoughts of suicide less likely or that can help us to cope if we're experiencing suicidal thoughts. The Six Ways to Be Well resources highlight ways that you can improve your wellbeing.
This video has practical advise about understanding mental health and how you can keep mentally healthy: Ask, Tell - Look After Your Mental Health.
Actions to support others
Our suicide ALERT resources support you to have a conversation with someone that might be thinking about suicide. You can also attend suicide prevention training locally - take a look at our Informed Level and Skilled Level learning opportunities.
This video has information about how to have a compassionate conversation with people who may be experiencing mental distress or who are at risk of suicide: Ask, Tell - Have a Healthy Conversation.
Action to tackle stigma
This video has information about the facts when it comes to suicide in Scotland and being aware of these can help you in challenging stigma around talking about suicide: Ask, Tell - Save a Life: Every Life Matters.
You can also pledge your support to the national United to Prevent Suicide campaign - add your name to Scotland's suicide prevention story at www.unitedtopreventsuicide.org.uk
You can find out more about work to support rugby clubs in the Scottish Borders to improve mental health and prevent suicide in this infographic or watch the video below:
Borders Rugby Clubs: Tackling the stigma around suicide from Kelso RFC on Vimeo.