Suicide remains a major issue, both globally and locally, despite years of investment in prevention and support. Loneliness is now recognised as a key risk factor: many people who experience suicidal thoughts describe feeling disconnected, unsupported, and as though they do not belong anywhere. Each year, around 727,000 people die by suicide worldwide, and many more struggle with suicidal thinking without coming to the attention of services. This highlights the need to focus not just on crisis response, but on what protects people in everyday life.
One of the clearest messages from recent work by PhD candidate Lauren Sheriff at Nottingham Trent University is that suicide risk is shaped by people’s social worlds as much as individual factors such as history of depression or financial issues. Her research shows that many individuals accessing the suicide crisis support services of Nottingham’s Harmless report a lack of close relationships, difficulties opening up to others, and a sense of not being part of a meaningful group. Without these connections, people are more vulnerable to feelings of isolation, hopelessness, and being trapped.
Read more here
Or download the full PDF document below: