Raising awareness of suicide prevention in South Asian communities in Kirklees
Dr Mohinder Kapoor, consultant in old age psychiatry, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, joined organisations from across Kirklees on Sunday 25 June at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sikh Temple in Huddersfield, to help raise awareness of suicide prevention.
The event was held as part of the Kirklees Suicide Memorial and Bereavement Quilts roadshow which aims to bring together people in Kirklees to share lived experiences, help reduce stigma, encourage conversations, and reduce isolation of those bereaved by suicide.
Dr Kapoor’s presentation, which was delivered in Punjabi and presented in English, covered mental health and wellbeing from children through to older people, including emotional and psychological wellbeing. With a focus on some of the specific risks unique to South Asian communities, community members were able to speak openly about their experiences and own awareness of people who have tragically lost their life to suicide.
Dr Kapoor said: “As a Sikh myself, I have strong connections with the Gurdwara in Huddersfield. Suicide prevention and mental health can still be a topic which is misunderstood within our South Asian communities, so I wanted to use this as a chance to open up the conversation and learn from community members about their challenges and experiences.
“I also felt it was important to talk about how communities can start to break down some of the stigma associated with talking about mental illness and suicide. A good place to start is by looking at three A’s – aware, accept, and ask. This means being aware of mental illness, accepting when mental health support is needed, and asking for help.
“There is lot of support available to help people who may be experiencing poor mental health or having suicidal thoughts. A good place to start is the West Yorkshire Suicide Prevention website which has advice and information about local services which can help – https://suicidepreventionwestyorkshire.co.uk/support.”
For information on suicide prevention and services which can help, visit the West Yorkshire Suicide Prevention website: https://suicidepreventionwestyorkshire.co.uk/support.
For help in a mental health crisis or emergency, call the 24-hour mental health helpline on 0800 183 0558, open 7 days a week and available to anyone registered with a GP in Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees or Wakefield.
For information about services to support your mental health and wellbeing, take a look at the choose well for mental health guide: https://www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk/service-users-and-carers/choosewell/
