Here's the latest Argus column by Torfaen AM Lynne Neagle:
LAST week I was really proud to chair the first meeting of the National Assembly’s new cross party group on suicide prevention.
As regular readers of the Argus will know, suicide prevention is an issue that is particularly close to my heart.
Dying by suicide is one of the leading causes of death in Wales.
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To lose someone you love to suicide is a uniquely devastating loss.
Anyone who has been affected by suicide will tell you that it leaves families in a deeply dark place.
There is, however, a huge amount of evidence that shows that talking about suicide encourages people to seek help rather than to become suicidal.
That is why I think we all have a responsibility to get better at talking about suicide.
Simply talking about suicide, really can save lives.
I am not a suicide prevention practitioner but the more I have learnt about suicide prevention, the more I have become convinced it is everyone’s business.
That is why, as an Assembly Member I set up the cross party group on suicide prevention that met for the first time last week.
Samaritans Cymru, who are supporting me in this work, have been at the forefront of encouraging the message that we need to talk about suicide.
For each death by suicide in Wales it used to be thought that an average of six people were deeply affected but new research suggests this has been grossly understated.
It is recognised that family and friends who have been bereaved by suicide are 1.7 times more likely to attempt suicide.
The average cost of a suicide in the general population has been estimated as £1.67 million per completed suicide.
The importance of support for those affected or bereaved by suicide is an issue I have raised regularly in the Senedd.
I am deeply concerned about the lack of properly funded bereavement services in Wales, particularly those bereaved by suicide.
I am not suggesting that suicide prevention is the work of government alone.
Effective suicide prevention requires a whole system approach that includes multi-agency and cross-government action.
No one should ever feel like they are struggling alone.
I hope the new cross party group will help drive the much needed change we need to reduce the number of deaths by suicide in Wales.
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