Shifting the Conversation: Hope, Support and World Suicide Prevention Day

Indrani and the team
Sep 10
5 min read

**Remind each other that vulnerability is strength, not weakness**

Every year on World Suicide Prevention Day, the world comes together to raise awareness about one of the most heartbreaking realities of our time. Suicide is not only a personal tragedy, it affects families, workplaces, schools and entire communities.

But the way we talk about suicide matters.

Too often, conversations are dominated by statistics and stories of loss. While awareness is vital, focusing only on numbers and tragedies can feel heavy, especially for those who are already struggling. Sometimes, this emphasis can even have unintended consequences.

When Awareness Backfires

Research has shown that after high-profile celebrity suicides, there is often a measurable increase in suicide rates in both the United States and Australia. This phenomenon, sometimes called the “Werther Effect,” highlights a painful truth: when people hear repeated stories of suicide deaths, it can reinforce hopelessness for those who are already vulnerable.

This does not mean we should stop talking about suicide. It means we need to shift how we talk about it.

The Power of Survival Stories

Studies also show something incredibly hopeful: when we highlight survival, recovery, and stories of people who sought help and went on to live meaningful lives, the opposite happens.

Instead of despair spreading, hope spreads.

When people hear that others have struggled, reached out for support, and found life on the other side of pain, they begin to imagine the same for themselves. They realise that life can get better, that their story is not over, and that healing is possible.

You Are Not Your Emotions

One of the biggest barriers people face is the weight of their emotions. It is easy to believe,

“I am my depression”,
“I am my anxiety”,
“I am my circumstances”.

But here is the truth: you are not your emotions, and you are not your circumstances.

In the Book of Proverbs, we are reminded to guard our hearts because the mind and spirit are where life flows.

Think of emotions like clouds. When we suppress them, pushing them down, ignoring them, locking them away, they do not disappear. They grow heavier and denser until they block out the light and make it hard to see the possibilities ahead.

But when we give emotions space, when we name them, talk about them, and let them move through us, it is like opening up the sky. The clouds shift, the weight lifts, and suddenly, we can see glimpses of hope and potential again.

Creating Safe Spaces

One of the most powerful things we can do at home, in schools, and in workplaces is to create environments where emotions are welcomed, not shamed.

Encourage people to talk about how they feel,
Normalise conversations about stress, sadness and overwhelm,
Remind each other that vulnerability is strength, not weakness.

When hard topics can be spoken about without stigma, people are far less likely to carry their struggles in silence.

Shifting Focus: What We Can Do

Mental health improves when we shift our focus from what we cannot control to what we can do.

We may not be able to change every circumstance,
But we can reach out for support,
We can contribute to others,
We can choose small steps toward healing each day.

And when we move outward, helping, serving, connecting, our own mental health is often strengthened.

A Closing Word of Hope

If you are struggling, please know this: your story is not over.

The heaviness you feel right now is not the end of your life’s narrative. Countless people have felt what you are feeling and discovered, through support and healing, that life can become meaningful again.

And if you are supporting someone, remember that your presence, your willingness to listen without judgment, and your openness to hard conversations may be exactly what helps them hold on to hope.

In the Book of Galatians, we are reminded to “carry each other’s burdens” We are not meant to carry life alone. We are born to connect, to co-regulate, and to share the weight of life together.

This is something we can do beautifully in our communities. When you create space for someone to be heard, when you ask a genuine “How are you?” and mean it, when you simply sit with someone in their pain, you may be making more of a difference than you realise. Sometimes, you can even help save a life without even trying.

This World Suicide Prevention Day, let us raise awareness, but let us also raise hope. Because life is worth living, and together, we can make it safer for people to speak, to feel, to heal, and to be reminded that they are not alone.

🧡 Australian Survivor Story: Adam Blum

Adam Blum, a construction worker from Katoomba, faced bullying and health issues throughout his life, leading to a suicide attempt in 2014. A reprimand from his boss pushed him to the brink, but a "moment of clarity" saved him. He made a call to a friend, which started his recovery journey.

Now 32, Blum is a Rural Fire Service member and mental health advocate, hosting the popular podcast True Blue Conversations. He stresses the importance of speaking up and seeking help, especially among young men. (Story available at News.com.au)

🌟 Global Survivor Story: Kevin Berthia

In 2005, 22-year-old Kevin Berthia, overwhelmed by depression, job loss, and medical debt following his daughter's premature birth, decided to end his life by jumping from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. As he prepared to jump, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Kevin Briggs intervened, calmly initiating a conversation that lasted 92 minutes, ultimately convincing Berthia to step back from the ledge.

Berthia later experienced years of severe depression, but began to heal after reuniting with Briggs in 2013 during a ceremony honouring the officer. That event marked a turning point, leading Berthia to embrace vulnerability, become a mental health advocate, and launch the Kevin Berthia Foundation. The two men, now close friends who speak publicly together, aim to de-stigmatise mental illness and encourage empathetic listening.

(Story available at People.com)