Australian Youth Mental Health Experts - School Suicide Prevention

I lost an extended family member to suicide over a month ago. After the sadness, shock and disbelief, I found myself on a roller coaster of gratitude, anger, guilt and joy … moving from numbness and neutrality to heartache and tears all within seconds. I thought the hardest thing was seeing the heartache of the closer family members to the one who was lost.Seeing their emotional rollercoaster and trying to be a support was not easy. One day, after the funeral, I found one thing harder to reconcile that I had not previously considered. Standing at my family members grave, I looked down and was overcome with a sense of loneliness. I found myself thinking about how alone I felt.Standing with about 200 people grieving around me, I felt alone.I wondered if the people around me also felt alone. A couple of hours later, I broke down in tears.Even though my cousin had many people around him, even though he was part of a large family, and had work and friendship circles, he felt alone.Or at least, he died alone. Perhaps he did not see the many people around him.Perhaps he did not hear the voices of love.He was alone with his own thoughts and his actions in his final moments. It was a sobering thought.Someone so loved and adored, someone so wanted and whose company was always enjoyed, he was alone. The sense of loneliness seems to have two sides.The person who has been lost, and the grief journey of those left behind. (If you are struggling and would like to speak to someone, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14). I have so many questions that I’d like to ask. I have come to realise that WHEN IT COMES TO SUICIDE, PREVENTION IS THE ONLY OPTION. My questions are mainstream, multi-generational and primarily about young people, and I will use a TV program that I produce to be the mouthpiece. It will connect with a national audience, produce education resource and be distributed to schools across Australia. I want to ask some hard questions, start positive conversations, and produce or promote an education series for high schools talking about suicide awareness and prevention in a way that speaks to Australian teenagers … talking about identity, security, self-esteem, self-love, and self-care. I don't plan to reinvent the wheel. It's about positive outcomes. I am committing the first $20k of the $100k needed and my time will be given pro-bono. I would ask for your financial support. Tax-deductible donations can be made at this link - https://lnkd.in/g8dTjZqH If you are a business, peak body, or suicide prevention work and would like to sponsor this work or have resources that I can help to promote, please contact me direct at [email redacted] If you are an expert or authority and would like to contribute in some way, please contact me also. When it comes to suicide, prevention is the only option. (If you are struggling and would like to speak to someone, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14).