Suicide Prevention Week

By Lynsay Keough
With two people dying by suicide every day in Scotland, Suicide Prevention Week from 6 to 12 September is sadly needed. The Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) works 365 days a year on the issue of Suicide Prevention. By raising general public awareness it is hoped that mental health issues will lose the stigma that can be attached to them and that people will learn to recognise the signs of someone becoming vulnerable. Such signs can be picked up in personal interaction with friends and colleagues, in the work place and especially by people such as taxi drivers and hairdressers who have close connections to the general public. SAMH in partnership with Choose Life have produced a booklet: After a Suicide, which can be found at http://www.samh.org.uk/downloads/documents/advice/after_a_suicide.pdf
Among events organised for the week is a free course at Glasgow Caledonian University looking at the way that Suicide Prevention is tackled in Scotland, and raise awareness of the issues involved It will being held twice on Tuesday 7 September. Of the 100 places available, Caledonian students have been offered 30 for interested students.
The charity SAMH has organised a fundraising Cycle run on Sunday 12 September. Riders will cycling from Dumfries to Glasgow and hope to be crossing the finishing line in George Square between 2pm and 3pm.
Support for this good cause is invited. Go to the Square and cheer the cyclists on or, if you’re feeling energetic, join them at Gorbals on their way in, and pedal across the finishing line yourself