Guest Post: ‘Are You Okay?’ Maltese Psychologists Appeal For Kindness And Empathy As Suicide Cases Rise

This article was written by the Malta Chamber of Psychologists 

Human beings are born, and human beings die. With respect to mortality, an increasing public health concern is suicide, with risk factors including mental illness, social isolation, relationship breakdown, bereavement, and substance abuse, among various other causes.

Mental health issues know no boundaries and impact on everyone, irrespective of race, creed, age or gender.

In recent months, Malta has seen a spate of unprecedented suicidal behaviour, which has shaken the island to the core. The pain and loss that such deaths bring to the immediate family and friends is immeasurable.

The absence is deeply felt, the memories linger, and so much remains unsaid. The profound impact that these tragic events have on the collective well-being must be acknowledged. Each person who has been lost is a unique member of the fabric which is life, and the void resounds with each life that has been cut short.

Bewilderment, grief, and a sense of raw vulnerability reverberate through the community, as questions go unanswered, and the sorrow is overwhelming.

Such a scenario is a bleak reminder and a wake-up call. It is time to address mental health in an open and frank manner, without stigma, without shame.

To the person struggling with mental health issues, it is crucial that you reach out.

Speak to friends, family, mental health professionals. Ask for help and never lose hope. Your pain matters. Your life matters. Do not walk this journey alone, and remember it is oftentimes the depression itself which causes you to feel this intense existential aloneness. In reaching out, you will be doing the bravest thing that you have ever done.

To the community, a gentle appeal. Be mindful of the people around you. Look someone in the eye. Be aware of body language. Listen, really stop to listen to what the other is telling you. Try to be quiet and curb the need to give advice or share your own problems.

Do not minimise, normalise, or brush someone off. Reach out and support the other, with compassion and understanding.

Be kind, be friendly, and remember that presence itself is a balm for the lost. Above all, break the silence and the secrecy that surrounds mental health.

Have conversations in your homes, in your offices, in your schools. Educate yourself about the signs and symptoms of mental illness. If you cannot do this alone, please remember that there are many agencies and mental health professionals who can support you.

An interconnected community can uplift and hold each member. Let us be advocates for mental health services, let us make mental health one of our priorities.

Let the communal pain break the barriers and be a catalyst for change, so that our “are you okay” will be truly meaningful.

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