Lifeline Booklet 2021

Suicide in Australia The idea that someone is feeling suicidal and want to end their life can be a very confronting and difficult concept for many people. It can be very hard to understand why someone has reached the point where they are considering ending their life. People who contemplate suicide are experiencing intense emotional pain and may view suicide as a way to end this pain. The pain they are feeling may be due to any number of experiences or circumstances. Negative life events can sometimes act as triggers for suicidal thoughts or behaviour.8 The statistics for suicide in Australia are comparable with the rest of the world. In 2019, Suicide Prevention Australia conducted an online survey of 1064 Australians aged 18 and older. The survey highlighted that Australians believe economic security and changes to family and relationships will be some of the biggest risks to suicide rates over the next 10 years.

We know that there are priority populations that are at greater risk of suicide. In Australia, these include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the LGBTI community, those bereaved by suicide and those who struggle with alcohol and drug problems 9 . However, in 2016, the UK National Suicide Strategy 10 highlighted additional vulnerable groups including young and middle-aged men; people in the care of mental health services; people in contact with the criminal justice system; specific occupational groups, such as doctors, nurses, veterinary workers, farmers and agricultural workers; and people with a history of self-harm.

8 https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/resource/why-people-become-suicidal/ 9 Turning Points: Imagine a world without suicide 10 Preventing Suicide in England (2016)

13 Accidental Counsellor