When it all gets too much

Prevention is better than cure, as the proverb goes.

You can't cure suicide - by its very nature, it's fatal - so it's appropriate then that today is Suicide Prevention Day across the world.

Every year, more than 800,000 suicides - one every 40 seconds - are successful. It's one of the top 20 leading causes of death of people of all ages across the globe.

As with many mental health problems, there's a stigma attached to suicidal thoughts and behaviours, and it's time that changed.

You could be closer to it than you realise.

Here's a snapshot of how mental health problems and suicide has touched my life in the last 20 years.

• Suicides 
• gun shot, hanging
• Attempts
• drowning, overdose, cutting wrists
• Behaviours 
• self-harming, alcoholism, mania, violence, withdrawal, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, paranoia, lack of personal hygiene, mood swings, extreme fatigue, talking and researching suicide methods  

You don't need to know the stories behind each example - that's personal to the individual that suffered. You don't need to know how low each person fell or the level of desperation they reached - that's personal to the people that helped support them back from the brink or, regrettably, those left behind.

You might not want to know that, while some people, even complete strangers, did everything in their power to help every person whose personal experience has affected me, there were many who stood by. Partners and parents; employers and colleagues; "friends".

Some weren't aware. Some didn't care.

Some wish they'd done more. Some wish they'd done something. Some still don't care.

Today, I invite you to do three things:

1. Share the Day
2. Take care of yourself
3. Take care of each other