Edinburgh landmarks to glow green for World Suicide Prevention Day
Edinburgh landmarks will be illuminated in green on Thursday, September 10, to mark World Suicide Prevention Day
Edinburgh landmarks are set to glow green this evening as venues across the city join a Scotland-wide campaign to raise awareness of suicide prevention.
The Museum on the Mound, Camera Obscura and Balmoral Hotel will be among the Edinburgh landmarks illuminated in green on Thursday, September 10, to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.
They will join other landmarks across Scotland including Stirling Castle, Discovery Point in Dundee, Glasgow Science Centre, the Kelpies, Lerwick Town Hall in Shetland and Marischal College and King’s College in Aberdeen.
The campaign, which has been organised by Samaritans, aims to highlight the importance of human connection and encourage people not to be afraid to check in on someone they might be worried about.
This year, the charity is reminding people that they don’t need to be an expert to save someone's life.
They say small, everyday interruptions and actions could help someone who is suicidal by distracting them from their thoughts, whether that's checking in through a phone call, a face to face conversation or something as simple as a text.
For Paul, 45, an unexpected interruption from a taxi driver simply asking if he was OK was all it took to change the course of his life.
Paul had been struggling to balance a high pressure job with family life and reached breaking point where he felt suicide was his only option.
He said: “I had started to feel like I was the root cause of every problem and if I removed myself, then that would fix everything.
“I felt tired, burnt out and broken. I decided I was going to take my own life.”
But as he began to cross the road, a taxi driver stopped and got out to check if he was okay.
“I suspect the driver initially thought it was some idiot not paying attention, but he must’ve recognised that something wasn’t right,” he said.
“He got out to check if I was OK and said something like, ‘You need to talk to someone.’”
As a result, Paul called Samaritans, who he said “helped me get through the night”.
He added: “It seems a bit dramatic to say I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that conversation, but that is the reality.
“It shows that anyone can save a life, just by showing that they care.”
The campaign comes as new research commissioned by Samaritans found almost three quarters (74 per cent) of people in Scotland believe society is increasingly designed to avoid interaction.
More than two in five (43 per cent) said they interact with people less than they did five years ago.
Despite this, half of respondents said they would prefer to turn to a stranger for help if they were struggling, compared with 23 per cent who would choose artificial intelligence.
Samaritans’ Executive Director for Scotland, Neil Mathers, said: “Each light represents hope, a moment of support, a conversation, and the reminder that Samaritans is here to listen.
“Suicide is preventable. The more openly we talk about suicide, the easier we can make it for people experiencing suicidal thoughts to speak honestly about how they are feeling.
“We’re urging people across Scotland not to be afraid to ask someone if they are feeling suicidal. It can be a difficult conversation, but you don’t need to be an expert or have all the answers.
“What matters is being there, listening without judgement and showing that you care.”
Anyone struggling to cope can contact Samaritans free of charge, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by calling 116 123.