TW: mentions of suicide
Suicide Prevention Month is encouraging communities all around Australia to speak out and stand together.
This year, Suicide Prevention Australia is urging people to change the narrative with a call to action, asking people to a spark a conversation to change to the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
Cold Nips, an Australian-wide community movement co-founded by Jian Wong Yen and marketed by Teigan Woollard, is on board with the cause, going on an Australian-wide tour completing 100 sunrise dips in 100 days in an act to raise one million dollars for mental health.
“With the Cold Nips Australian Tour, we’re trying to impact 100,000 people and to raise 1 million dollars for a mental health charity,” Ms Jian said.
“But ultimately, the main reason is to try and positively shape Australian culture and people’s mental health so as to spread an experience that can really benefit people and change their lives for the better.”
The University of Wollongong is also joining in and holding an R U OK day event on September 12, run by UOW PULSE on campus, to further the conversation and to have an opportunity to check up on our peers around us.
Suicide is a significant public health challenge, with more than 700,000 deaths each year globally; the World Health Organisation aims to shift the culture by opening conversations, no matter how small, to create a supportive and understanding community.
“By initiating these vital conversations, we can break down barriers, raise awareness, and create better support cultures,” the World Health Organisation said.
If you or anyone you know is struggling, help is only a call away at Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14.
