Meta To Hide Suicide Posts From Teen Facebook Feeds
Multinational technology conglomerate Meta announced this week (January 9th) that it will be hiding inappropriate content such as posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders from teenagers’ accounts on both Facebook and Instagram. According to the Independent, the company already strives to avoid recommending this kind of age-inappropriate material to this demographic, but it will […]
New Suicide Surveillance System Launched In England
A key commitment in the government’s national suicide prevention strategy has now been delivered upon through the launch of a new suicide surveillance system that aims to tackle emerging methods of suicide and crack down on those looking to sell dangerous products to vulnerable demographics. A national alert system will also be rolled out in […]
Suicide Prevention Progamme Sees Significant Reduction In Death
A new integrated suicide prevention programme has been developed by a team of researchers from the University of York and Tilburg University in the Netherlands, which has successfully seen deaths reduced by over a fifth. The five-year Suicide Prevention by Monitoring and Collaborative Care project centred on the Netherlands province of Noord-Brabant, which has historically […]
Autistic People Now Included As Specific Group In Suicide Prevention Policy
A new programme of research and policy work has just been incorporated into the Department for Health and Social Care Suicide Prevention Strategy 2023-2028, meaning that autistic people are now included as a specific demographic in suicide prevention policy for the first time. Carried out by the University of Nottingham’s School of Psychology, this research […]
September: World Suicide Prevention Month
One of the biggest global health problems is suicide, with more than 700,000 suicides annually around the world, according to the World Health Organisation, something that has extensive socio-economic and emotional consequences for many. Every year, the month of September is dedicated to raising awareness of suicide prevention as a public health priority, with the […]
Diabetes Drugs Linked To Suicidal Thoughts
A class of drugs sold by Novo Nordisk, primarily used as diabetes medication but which can also be taken as a weight loss treatment, is now under review in the UK after being linked to suicidal thoughts. An exclusive Reuters report revealed that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is now looking into […]
US Defense Promotes Healthy Sleep To Prevent Suicide Ideation
The Secretary of Defense over in the US has just issued an immediate action directive to drive mission readiness by promoting good-quality sleep, in response to research showing that service members experiencing sleep issues are almost three times more likely to report suicide ideation and other potentially harmful behaviours. The immediate action directive ensures that […]
Extreme Heat Linked To Suicide Among Incarcerated Men
A new study carried out by a team of scientists at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in the US has suggested that there is a link between extreme heat and suicide rates among incarcerated men. The researchers pulled together data on heat index (which covers both air temperature and relative humidity) […]
Call Issued For All Work-Related Suicides To Be Investigated
Leading experts from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and the University of Leeds have issued a call for all work-related suicides to be investigated by the Health and Safety Executive following the death of a headteacher from Berkshire. Writing in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), professors Martin McKee and Sarah Waters called […]
The Importance Of Distress Tolerance In Suicide Prevention
Everyone manages perceived or actual emotional stress differently and our ability to navigate our way through certain incidents without feeling overwhelmed is what is known as distress tolerance. We are able to return to a more balanced state in the face of new stressors if we can cope with difficult emotions and feelings, but it […]
Suicide Prevention Tool Launched To Support Australian Farmers
A new grassroots wellbeing and suicide prevention tool has been launched by the University of South Australia to help provide support for farmers around the country, helping them to tackle the struggles associated with living on the land. The Taking Stock online multimedia site is free to use and has been designed specifically with farmers […]
Oral Vitamin D Associated With Suicide/Self-Harm Risk Reduction
A new US-based study has found a link between oral vitamin D supplements and a reduced risk of suicide attempt and intentional self-harm of around 45-48 per cent among veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs, with supplementation of higher daily dosages associated with even further reductions than lower dose supplementation. Published in the PLOS […]
Suicide Bereavement UK Training Protocols Featured On WiseGP
Here at Suicide Bereavement UK, we offer a Postvention Assisting Those Bereaved By Suicide one-day training course for all professionals keen to increase their knowledge, skills and confidence for working with those affected by suicide. The course itself is now CPD-accredited, ensuring that health and care professionals are able to respond to and care for […]
The Primary Drivers Behind Suicide In The Americas
The importance of taking gender-specific social determinants of suicide in the Americas into account when developing risk reduction interventions and prevention strategies has been highlighted in a new study, carried out by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). It was found that, while homicide and alcohol/substance use was linked to an increase in suicide mortality […]
Suicidal Thoughts Among US Teens ‘On The Rise’
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US has revealed that young people across the nation are now struggling more than ever, with teenage girls and LGBQ+ youths in particular experiencing increasingly urgent mental health challenges. It was found that 57 per cent of teenage girls reported feeling […]
Link Established Between Suicide & Domestic Abuse
A link has been established between domestic abuse and suicide, with new research revealing that women who experience abuse from a partner are three times more likely to have attempted suicide in the last 12 months than those who haven’t experienced abuse. Carried out by Agenda Alliance, the study also revealed that women in poverty […]
Racism & Discrimination ‘Main Cause’ Of Traveller Suicide
Daily experiences of discrimination and racism among those in the Traveller community are having big impacts on mental health, according to a new review commissioned by the Ballyfermot Traveller Action Project, Clondalkin Travellers Development Group and the Tallaght Travellers Community Development Project. It was found that 68 per cent of Travellers have lost a family […]
Suicide Prevention Specialist Barbara Stanley Dies
Psychologist and researcher Barbara Stanley, psychology professor at Columbia University and the director of suicide prevention training at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, has died at the age of 73 from ovarian cancer. Dr Stanley was responsible for developing a simple and effective suicide prevention tool – the Stanley-Brown Safety Planning Intervention strategy, where […]
Veteran Suicide Suicide Risk ‘Similar Overall’ To General Population
New research from the University of Manchester has revealed that the suicide risk among military veterans is no higher than that of the general population, although some people may require additional support. Funded by the Ministry of Defence and NHS England, the study also found that veterans over 35 years of age were at a […]