During our time at Miss World we have many rehearsals day where we will be wearing more casual attire.
I have chosen to use this opportunity to bring awareness and highlight Irish charities, by wearing a different t-shirt from each of them for every rehearsal.
Today, Friday the 1st of March, is Self-Harm Awareness Day and I’m representing Pieta.
Pieta is a suicide prevention charity providing services within the Republic of Ireland.
Pieta provide a range of services nationally to people who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, those who engage in self-harm, and those bereaved by suicide. All of their services are provided free of charge, and no referral is needed.
Pieta’s three main pillars of practice are prevention, intervention, and postvention.
- Pieta’s prevention services include The Resilience Academy and the Amber Flag. These are awareness driving initiatives to instil and empower young people with coping mechanisms to prevent them potentially incurring suicidal or self-harm thoughts in the future.
- Pieta’s intervention model is our suicidal ideation and self-harm counselling therapy. Through up to twelve sessions of free counselling, their strengths-based, solution-focused method aims to nurture resilience and collaboratively develop effective coping strategies with their clients.
- Postvention practice is our Suicide Bereavement service.they provide free counselling, therapy and support to those who have been bereaved by suicide. This service provides Suicide Bereavement Liaison Officers within 8 weeks of a death by suicide, and Suicide Bereavement Counselling from 8 weeks on.
If you’re worried that a friend or loved one is thinking of suicide – here are some of the key warning signs to watch out for:
Listen to what they say:
- Talking or writing about hurting themselves, dying, or saying that they want to die.
- Talking about ways to die or having a suicide plan.
- Saying that ‘nothing is going to change' or they feel like a ‘burden’.
- Saying they have no purpose in their lives, that they feel hopeless.
Behavioural changes:
- Engaging in self-harm or risk-taking behaviour.
- Giving items away or saying goodbye to people.
- Becoming more inward-looking and withdrawing from family and friends.
- Changes in their sleep patterns – too much or too little sleep.
- Extreme emotions or dramatic changes in mood.
- Increasing their use of drugs or alcohol.
If you recognise one or more of these warning signs in a loved one’s behaviour, don’t wait for someone else to do something.
Pieta’s helpline is staffed by therapists 365 days a year to offer immediate support over the phone. If you don’t feel that you can pick up the phone, their text* service is also available 24/7. (*standard message rates apply).
If you are in crisis now, you can freephone their 24-hour hour crisis helpline at 1800 247 247 or text 'HELP' to 51444.
You can support Pieta by taking part in their Darkness Into Light 2024 fundraising awareness walk, that will take place at 4:15am on Saturday May the 11th 2024.
You are not alone!
