Developed by the Zero Suicide Alliance, the free, online training takes around 20 minutes to complete and teaches people how to have a direct and honest conversation about suicide and mental health with friends and family. The training also helps to break the stigma of talking about mental health, suicidal thoughts and bereavement.
Marking World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September, Dan Barrett, Director of both Thrive LDN and Good Thinking said: “World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity to remember that it has never been more important for each of us to think and talk more about mental health and wellbeing.
“It is very encouraging to see the number of people who have taken the #ZeroSuicideLDN training since the campaign launched five years ago. However, a lot has happened since which makes people more vulnerable to suicide or crisis.
“For many Londoners, it remains a challenging and uncertain time with increased cost-of-living pressures being felt unevenly across the capital. Debt is a significant risk factor of suicide. Financial concerns are not always commonly discussed. Many people may feel a sense of shame about their situation or do not typically discuss personal finance with others. Therefore, the training remains relevant and more important than ever.”
In a 2023 survey by the charity Mind, more than one in three UK adults (36 per cent) said they never make space in their day or the time to speak about their mental health. Yet nearly 8 in 10 who responded (78 per cent) said that their mental health has been affected by cost-of-living crisis – this was worse for those with existing mental health problems (94 per cent).
Imran Choudhury, Chair of the Good Thinking Advisory Board and Director of Public Health at the London Borough of Sutton said: “We know that living and working in London can be stressful, and right now for some it may be overwhelming. That is why we want to encourage as many people as possible to take free, online training to know what to do if a loved one, colleague or stranger is in crisis.
“By doing so, we are working towards a city that is stigma free, where people can have a more direct and honest conversation about suicide with fellow Londoners in a safe and sensitive way. Especially considering the challenges so many Londoners – and particularly those from marginalised and racialised communities – have faced in recent years.”
