October is Mental Health Month across the country and with suicide rates on the rise, professionals are urging everyone to get involved with mental health workshops that are running across the New England.
Suicide rates have sky-rocketed by 60 per cent in the last 45 years, a shocking reality according to UnitingCare Program Manager for Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention Lee-Anne Borham.
“Suicide affects mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends, colleagues and whole communities.”
“We have a national emergency and we as a sector and a community must do more and do better.”
Workshops will focus on uniting the community, said Fiona Livingston from Farm-Link.
“The land is what rural people love but it can be lonely,” she said.
“Rural people have easier means to suicide in that firearms and poisons are readily available… we are also more familiar with death in that we see animals die.”
Guyra Council Chambers will hold a session on October 18.
If you or anyone you know needs help contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
