From Darkness to Hope: World Suicide Prevention Day
IP Inclusive and Jonathan’s Voice invite us to an open conversation around suicide prevention and mental health in the IP industry.
Suicide is an intensely difficult subject, which many of us instinctively shy away from. Yet, having thoughts of suicide is more common than most of us realise, and simply talking with someone who is having suicidal thoughts can be life-saving.
This was one of the important messages brought to us by Jonathan’s Voice and IP Inclusive in a webinar held to mark World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September.
The hour-long session delved into the thought processes and experiences that can lead to suicidal thoughts.
It also challenged some of the myths around suicidal feelings and identified what we can do to help those who are experiencing them.
The library of life: understanding suicidal experience and creating spaces of hope
It can be hard to understand what leads a person to have suicidal feelings, but by trying to do so we can learn more about how we can help.
Dr Tiago Zortea from the Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training and Research suggests we think in terms of a “library of life” where every experience we have becomes a book.
People who grow to experience suicidal thoughts tend to focus on the “same old books” containing negative experiences from the past.
While remembering negative experiences has an evolutionary benefit for humans, research has found that some people are more likely to recall negative experiences and use them exclusively to interpret current and future events.
This is cognitive bias – as Tiago describes it: “having these same old books open on the table as references.”
This can lead to “having nothing else to read” - a cycle of hopelessness and entrapment that causes extreme anxiety and depression about the past and its expected effect on the future.
The reference library contains only negative experiences and this, says Tiago, “limits life experiences, narrows interpretations, reduces creativity and the capacity to regulate emotions and solve problems.”
Ultimately, this can lead people to question whether it is worth being alive.
Research indicates that one route to suicide prevention is to “expand the library of life with new books” by creating spaces for hope that allow the development of flexible thinking, emotional connections and a sense of belonging.
Such spaces must be non-judgemental and allow for open conversations to help people develop more effective ways of regulating emotions and solving problems, without resorting to the “same old books”.
On how to help someone who is experiencing suicidal thoughts, Tiago counselled that it is not possible for one person or conversation to remove all the negative “books” from someone else’s library.
However, by introducing new books of joy and positive experiences, we can try to provide new and more positive reference points.
Supporting colleagues and friends in the workplace
Professor Andrew Reeves and Mark Fudge, who are experienced mental health counsellors, underlined the importance of talking openly about all aspects of mental health in the workplace.
They noted the paradox in how the wealth of online chatter on the subject contrasts with a continuing lack of interpersonal engagement when we are face to face with someone who is struggling.
They also addressed a common myth about suicide: that talking to someone about it makes it more likely that they will act on their feelings.
Research has shown the opposite; if a supportive person asks about suicidal feelings calmly and sensitively, they are more likely to prevent suicide.
It can be difficult and uncomfortable to start a conversation with someone about their feelings.
Many of the “books” of negative experiences are very unpleasant, and we may feel the urge to protect ourselves from the discomfort of being exposed to them.
We may also feel under pressure to “solve” the person’s problems, and therefore shy away from a sense of responsibility.
Tiago advised that “nobody is responsible for keeping someone else alive”. However, helping someone to share their difficult thoughts can be powerful in reducing hopelessness and preventing self-harm.
As Mark put it: “Sometimes just listening is important. A simple ‘are you OK?’ can make a huge difference to the person feeling recognised, seen and heard.”
Andrew concurs: “Being able to listen without judgement and communicate to the other person that you are hearing what they are saying is about 90% of the value you can offer.”
Culture change is needed around mental health in the workplace
Creating a positive environment around mental health is essential, but this requires culture change.
Mental health must be placed on a par with physical health, with the same approach to accommodations for mental illness as for physical illness and a rejection of any prevailing stigma.
It is vital that the onus is not placed predominantly on mental illness sufferers to navigate complicated routes to get support.
Instead, support should be clearly signposted and offered openly through a variety of channels.
It is incredibly important that the whole workforce is empowered to feel comfortable and confident asking others about their mental wellbeing.
By educating everyone about the power of simple conversations and addressing some of the reservations they might have about starting them, we can work towards an environment where checking on someone’s mental health as natural as enquiring after their recovery from physical illness or accident.
For resources on supporting mental health in the workplace and for individual support visit: