Yesterday was world mental health day. The theme of this years mental health day was ‘suicide prevention’.

I struggle with this concept. Suicide prevention? What about preventing people from becoming depressed in the first place?

Depression isn’t simply ‘feeling sad’, or having issues coping with a loss - ie a normal part of grieving. Depression often comes on with no discerning reason, to those who on the outside appear to ‘have it all’. It’s complex, complicated and confusing.

Recent statistics report that our suicide rates continue to climb. Psychiatric hospitals are bursting at the seams, mental health hospitals are understaffed and staff are overwhelmed. It’s difficult unless you are in the most urgent need of care to get psychiatric help. The burden is often left to families to cope with the struggling person - if the struggling person is lucky enough to have a family member to support them.

It’s all a little depressing (no pun intended). So what’s so wrong with what we are doing? And how do we do it better?