Lifeline

The Punch team has a colleague at news.com.au called Chris Paine, who is leading its campaign to raise money for Lifeline One hour|One life.

Chris wrote this piece about living with mental illness. It’s worth a read.

Chris has two black dogs - this gorgeous one called Jethro, and a not so gorgeous one called OCD.

Anyway, it’s Budget week, so the brawling goes back into the ring in Canberra. What else is on your mind?

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  • Julia's Island says:

    06:27pm | 07/05/12

    The Huge New Moon heralds a Huge New Era in France and in the World !! The Left will replace the Right! The Future will replace The Past ! The Democratic Socialists with replace the Conservatives ! French President Result francois Hollande (Socialists) 51.67 % Nicholas Sarkosy (UMP )   … Read more »

  • ibast says:

    03:41pm | 07/05/12

    Even with Sarkosy in France was still bordering on unworkably socialist.  The problem with Sarkosy, however is he advocated policies that in a previous time would have been labelled ethnic cleansing. Let’s hope the new president can stop the latter without letting France’s workforce become a useless government bureaucracy. Read more »

 

A couple of months ago I was gallivanting around the UK on a holiday. One night I popped up to the apartment I was crashing at to grab my jacket when I heard a voice through the window from the road below.

The beautiful Kimberley landscape in WA. A region haunted by suicide. Pic: Supplied

“Come on darlin’, you don’t have to do this.” Across the road a woman had climbed up onto the third story of some scaffolding. She wasn’t particularly sober, she’d tied a noose around her neck and she was about to jump.

If today is a typical day, by the time you’ve hit the hay tonight nearly 178 Aussies will have attempted to end their lives. Seven would have gone through with it. It’s a national tragedy. And in some remote parts of Australia it’s just tragedy after tragedy after tragedy after tragedy.

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  • rizal says:

    12:23pm | 08/02/12

    @ Libéral : gbeoalemlnt OK sur votre premier point, et je serais même plus sévère encore. Les chiffres sur les suicides enregistrés à France Telecom – dont je ne minimise rien du drame, qu’on se le dise et la question n’est pas là pour l’instant – ne sont pas des… Read more »

  • NESLIHAN KUROSAWA says:

    11:32pm | 16/09/11

    Hi Daniel, Could it be that the indigenous community are living in very remote areas of Australia?? Then again, they have been living in those areas for centuries, right?  Is it more about the fact that if it is our sights, it is out of our minds also!!  Living on… Read more »

 

Many people in Australia live with a mental illness, and unfortunately, many think about suicide.

Best to focus on the sun coming out. Pic: Sturt Krygsman

I know from personal experience.

I have depression and attempted suicide in 2005. I thank God every day that I did not complete my attempt, but I know exactly how real the risk of suicide is.

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  • Julie says:

    08:11pm | 09/05/11

    There is a program now funded through the government called “a mental health care plan”.  Anyone can see their GP and they will assess your suitability for this and it is funded through Medicare.  Good luck to you Dan.  I too am seeing a psychologist for ways on how to… Read more »

  • True Believer says:

    07:21pm | 05/05/11

    @Judas Thank you for your post. I should have been more careful in my response.  I know the behaviour of a few does not reflect the whole population of atheists/unbelievers.  Having been one of the latter for many years I know what it is to have no knowledge or understanding… Read more »

 

Mental health advocates - including Patrick McGorry and SA coroner Mark Johns - have called for a public toll, similar to the road toll, to highlight suicides. Meanwhile, a spate of suicides - including the death of a doctor who was a mental health advocate - have renewed fears the sector is unable to cope. Lifeline and News Digital Media, publisher of The Punch, today announce a project that will help Australians access online, anonymous, confidential support.

Silence is the worst option

With suicide being the leading cause of death for young Australians, you think that you’d find a plethora of information and support online to help those in crisis.

Suicide kills more Australians than road accidents each year.  In 2008, 2191 people took their own lives, while the road toll was below 1450.  These figures don’t include the tens of thousands more who attempt taking their own lives each year. Nor do these figures include the hundreds of thousands of people who are either bereaved or contemplating suicide, or both.

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  • KristinGrimes says:

    10:20am | 04/01/12

    Some time ago, I really needed to buy a car for my organization but I didn’t have enough cash and couldn’t buy anything. Thank goodness my comrade adviced to take the business loans at reliable creditors. Hence, I acted that and used to be happy with my college loan. Read more »

  • Chris says:

    01:45pm | 20/04/11

    Have to admit, I also didn’t have a good experience when phoning Lifeline. They made an effort, but weren’t helpful. Increased my feelings of despair as was reaching out only to find no help. Advice- try someone else if you need help and don’t get it first try- no service… Read more »

 

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