What's next?

If you've been following this blog, you'll see that it contains posts about:

• Suicide intervention training - ASIST
• Campaigns to affect funding and government policy 
• Mental health promotion campaigns
• Services for people who are thinking of suicide and for those bereaved by suicide
• Statistics on suicide in Ireland

So what's next?

Personally:

1. Make a effort to talk more about mental health issues in general. Do your bit to reduce the stigma of suicide and other mental health issues. 
2. Intervene - Follow the steps if you're ever concerned that someone may be suicidal. Be suicide alert, ask the question and help them get help. 
3. Find out more by reading through the links on this blog.

At Community Level - in your town / workplace / school / community centre etc. 

1. Get posters and leaflets promoting mental health issues and display locally. Contact groups like Mental Health Ireland, the National Office for Suicide Prevention and SeeChange for posters or make your own! This shows people in your community that mental health issues and difficulties are not taboo; they're up for discussion. Many groups provide useful booklets outlining main facts on suicide and how to prevent / intervene. SOSAD have a good 8 page booklet (produced in 2010) which I can recommend.
2. Further training - Contact your local Suicide Prevention Officer to find out what courses are coming up. If you have enough people and a venue, ask about running a course or workshop on suicide prevention locally. If you can run courses yourself, many groups provide free training materials to use with young people or adults including the Samaritans. 
3. Local research - find out who to go to in your community if you need help with your mental health. What counselling services are there? What are the costs? Are there any suicide bereavement support groups run locally? Pool your research and let people know what's available locally.

At national level:

1. Help put mental health on the political agenda - next time there's an election coming up ask your politicians what they are doing to prevent suicide and support mental health services. 
2. Support the healthrisk.ie campaign to protect/ increase mental health funding and bring in better policies.