With suicide being the leading cause of death for Australians from ages 15 to 44, it is important we are all aware of the protective factors.
If you read through this list and see that you are weak in some of these factors, you can always strengthen others. For example, if your family has a lot of conflict and it feels out of your control, you can focus on creating a strong support network. That network could be made up of friends from school who you are close to, neighbours you know well, people you do a hobby with, a community where you go to do service.
Life skills in this list refers to the ability to manage your life effectively. The ability to get to work on time, organise the payment of bills, organise a house and care for your physical well-being. It also refers to your overall resilience. How you deal with setbacks and challenges, how you manage stress and anxiety.
Again, resilience is something that it is possible to work on. You can focus on growing your resilience with a few simple daily practices:
- Make a list of all your achievements and read it every day when you wake up
- Re-focus on gratitude – list 3 things daily you are grateful for
- Make an effort every day to maintain close relationships
- Practice asking for help when you need it
If you are considering suicide, or you know someone who is please call Lifeline: on their 24-hour helpline: 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue: 1300224636 (Australian resource).
