Suicide prevention starts with changing the narrative and ending the silence

AS WORLD Suicide Prevention Day, with the theme Changing the Narrative, was commemorated last week, there have been widespread calls on us to reexamine how we approach a topic that has long been shrouded in silence.

- GERRY CUPIDO

The traditional narrative, often steeped in stigma and misunderstanding, has done a great disservice to those struggling and to the loved ones left behind.

It's time to build a new conversation that is both informed and compassionate.

The question of "why?" is an agonising one, and it's a question my own family knows all too well.

A beloved family member took his own life, leaving no note, no explanation.

The grief was immense, but it was compounded by the unanswered questions that still echo in our hearts. "Why did he do it?" "What could we have done differently?"

This experience highlights that the ripple effect of suicide is devastating, leaving families not only with loss but with a heavy burden of guilt and confusion.

This personal pain underscores the urgent need to shift our collective understanding.

So, what exactly causes a person to reach this point of ultimate despair?

Suicide is rarely, if ever, a single-factor event. It is a complex interaction of psychological, social, and biological elements.

Mental health conditions like severe depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety are significant risk factors.

They are illnesses that can distort a person's perception of reality, making them feel trapped and hopeless.