Hear from Joy a proud Kenyn-born woman living in NSW who shares her reflections on World Suicide Prevention Day.
My name is Joy Rahab Wairimu Sinclair. I am a Kenyan born Australian residing in NSW, a mother 3 children and a grandmother of 4.
Cultural Perspectives
In my community people can feel like talking about suicide puts the idea in people’s head. Or that people who talk about suicide are attention seeking. Another commonly held belief is that men should stay strong and not show emotions. Many feel that talking about suicide is a private family affair and that it shouldn’t be spoken about with others. Others think that feeling distress is a sign of weak faith.
Changing the Narrative
Changing the narrative to my community means challenging the dominant stereotypes and societal beliefs around suicide. We need help to change the narrative. We need steps at the individual and system level to help people feel able to speak up and get support and also for people to know the steps to take if someone asks them for help.
For me – the most important steps are to normalise help seeking and encourage people to reach out – this can be through peer support, calling hotlines or getting therapy. Highlighting stories of recovery can help educate communities. People who share their stories are strong and want to help their communities, so no one has to suffer. There’s also a need to encourage men and youth to speak up so we can tackle harmful gender norms that currently keep them silenced.
To make change we need cultural understanding by acknowledging beliefs the community hold around mental health and suicide. We also need to use culturally relevant language, and frame mental health as a strength that allows people to better care for themselves and their community. We need to have peer led conversations, use storytelling as well as use faith-based education and awareness campaigns.
Services and systems can be more supportive by increasing accessibility and making support affordable and culturally safe. Early intervention support can see screening in schools, workplace, primary healthcare training as well as services specific for youth.
We can reduce stigma by normalising conversations and using safe language. Community centred approaches can see safe spaces, peer support networks and campaign that work for local communities. This could include training and capacity building for churches, mosques and community leaders, traditional healers and elders, schools, first responders and peer workers.
Final Reflections
It is important that we use community elders, leaders, and lived experience leadership voices as a guide to what decisions and processes work for that community and let them design it with their community in mind.
No man stands alone. Real mates listen; Real mates speak up. Checking isn’t weakness—it’s how we keep each other alive.