Fact sheets 1-12

 Fact sheet 1: The LIFE Framework for suicide prevention (414.31kB)

Suicide takes the lives of more than two thousand Australians every year and has devastating impacts on families, friendship groups, workplaces and communities. Reducing suicide is the responsibility of all Australians and this is best achieved by a coordinated response across the community.

This fact sheet explains the vision, purpose and six action areas and their proposed outcomes for the LIFE Framework.

 Fact sheet 2: The evidence base of suicide prevention (409.29kB)

If we can identify the critical components of effective suicide prevention activities, we will be better placed to ensure that resourcing and effort is applied to those activities that are most likely to reduce suicide in Australia.

This fact sheet outlines some of the current information and knowledge about suicide prevention in Australia.

 Fact sheet 3: Statistics on suicide in Australia (562.64kB)

More people in Australia take their own life than die from motor vehicle accidents in a year.

This fact sheet provides an overview of the available statistics on Australian suicide rates, trends, and at-risk groups.

 Fact sheet 4: Risk and protective factors in suicide (564.48kB)

Suicidal behaviours, both fatal and non-fatal, result from interactions between a variety of risk factors and a lack of protective factors across a person’s life span.

This fact sheet provides useful information for anyone who wants to understand more about what may lead to suicide. 

 Fact sheet 5: Why do people choose to take their own life? (468.59kB)

Very often, family, friends and colleagues do not anticipate a suicide, or if they do, they do not know what to do to prevent it.

This fact sheet provides a brief summary of what is knownabout why people choose to take their own life.

 Fact sheet 6: Resilience, vulnerability and suicide prevention (470.00kB)

There are many theories about how individuals develop and how they build their resilience, wellbeing and attitudes to life.

This fact sheet explains resilience and vulnerability and how they relate to suicide and suicide prevention in Australia.

 Fact sheet 7: Mental illness, life events and suicide (541.45kB)

It is not possible to explain suicide as having a simplistic one to one relationship with mental illness, although mental illness is a significant risk factor to suicide.

This fact sheet provides a brief summary of the links between mental illness and suicide.

 Fact sheet 8: Deliberate self-harm and suicide (411.67kB)

All self-harm deserves serious assessment. If you are concerned that a member of your family is self-harming, then seek help from your family doctor or local mental health services.

This fact sheet will help you to understand deliberate self-harm and how it relates to suicide and suicide prevention.

 Fact sheet 9: Suicide attempts (416.16kB)

There are many things that can be done to reduce the likelihood of another suicide attempt.

This fact sheet will help you to understand attempted suicide and what can be done to prevent suicide by people who have previously attempted suicide.

 Fact sheet 10: Principles for conducting suicide prevention activities (548.83kB)

The central goal of Living Is For Everyone is to reduce suicide attempts, the loss of life through suicide and the impact of suicidal behaviour in Australia.

This fact sheet sets out the principles for effective suicide prevention and considerations for planning and conducting activities.

 Fact sheet 11: Types of suicide prevention activities (411.76kB)

Suicide prevention can occur at all levels of society, from individuals and families to local, State and Federal Governments. Everyone can get involved to help people feel supported during times of adversity, so that nobody sees suicide as their only option.

This fact sheet discusses the various kinds of suicide prevention activities and how to go about starting an initiative in the community.

 Fact sheet 12: Working together for suicide prevention (410.79kB)

It is people; individuals, families, groups, organisations, workplaces, governments, within communities, collaborating in an environment of trust and common good, who can work together to achieve the prevention of suicide in Australia.

This fact sheet describes the activities and processes required for effective partnerships in suicide prevention.

Fact sheets 13-24

 Fact sheet 13: The project approach to suicide prevention activities (632.10kB)

The success of each and every project often depends on intangible but equally important factors such as teamwork, leadership, a shared belief in the vision, the quality and clarity of communication, and the mutual trust within the project team.

This fact sheet presents the key components of project planning, management and sustainability.

 Fact sheet 14: Project evaluation (424.44kB)

It is assumed that all suicide prevention activities will be systematically evaluated.

This fact sheet sets out a recommended framework for the evaluation of suicide prevention projects, activities and programs.

 Fact sheet 15: What communities can do to prevent suicide (412.23kB)

Prevention of suicide in Australia needs to be a shared responsibility involving all sectors, organisations and communities.

This fact sheet provides a brief overview of the strategies for building community capacity, with a focus on suicide prevention.

 Fact sheet 16: Suicide prevention in Indigenous communities (448.14kB)

It is essential that services for Indigenous people acknowledge and respect the cultural differences in communication, understandings about health, and how Indigenous people interact with support services.

This fact sheet provides information on suicide amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

  Fact sheet 17: Suicide and men (757.18kB)

Many factors can have a negative impact on men’s emotional wellbeing and increase their risk of suicide. When these factors combine, the risk of suicide increases.

This fact sheet provides information on why some men may feel suicidal and what can be done to help prevent suicide.

 Fact sheet 18: Suicide in rural and remote communities (1.09MB)

Suicide rates in rural and remote regions of Australia have risen dramatically over the past three decades, especially among men.

This fact sheet provides information about suicide in rural and remote Australia and what can be done to help prevent suicide in these areas.

 Fact sheet 19: Someone I know is bereaved by suicide (409.24kB)

People bereaved by suicide may experience a wide range of emotions and they need to be reminded and reassured that they are not alone.

This fact sheet provides information to assist in understanding and supporting someone bereaved by suicide.

 Fact sheet 20: Suicide prevention and people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds (416.86kB)

The impact on individuals of migration, resettlement and integration vary depending on a range of social, economic, environmental and personal factors.

This fact sheet provides information about the impact on people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds of separation from their culture and land of birth.

 Fact sheet 21: Suicide warning signs and tipping points (613.49kB) 

It is important that friends and family understand the warning signs and know what to do to help.

This fact sheet describes warning signs and tipping points for suicide, and how to respond in order to keep the person safe.

 Fact sheet 22: ‘I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what to say.’ (408.42kB) 

‘My biggest problem was that I just didn’t know what to say to them. In the end, I decided not to say anything. Much later I realised that I had probably caused them even more grief – not saying anything was probably the worst thing I could have done.’

This fact sheet provides information on how to support and assist someone after a difficult or traumatic life event.

 Fact sheet 23: I know someone who is feeling suicidal (417.04kB)

For immediate crisis intervention when life may be in danger, ring the police on 000 or go to your local hospital emergency department.

This fact sheet will help you identify signs to look for, decide what to do and learn what help is available if you know someone who is feeling suicidal.

 Fact sheet 24: I am feeling suicidal (423.63kB)

If you think you might harm yourself call for help immediately:

• call 000 (police, ambulance, fire) or
• call Lifeline 13 11 14 or
• get someone to take you to your local hospital emergency department.

If you have suicidal thoughts, don’t try to manage on your own.

This fact sheet provides some ways to help you cope if you are feeling suicidal.