The Suicide Awareness & Support Group is a community group supporting people contemplating suicide which also aims to raise awareness about suicide and highlight the ways of preventing it. Its consensus is that talking about your feelings or talking about someone who has recently committed suicide can be a great help. They let people know that it is ok to cry or shout if this will aid your cause. People should accept offers of help. It is important to go out with your friends and don't feel guilty if you're enjoying life. It doesn't mean you've forgotten about the person or you care any less. I do not want to reduce these to figures, but in 2008 there were 218 male and 64 female deaths in Belfast from suicide. This is a ridiculously shocking number! SASG run a support group for men which meets on a Monday night from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. There's also an open support group meets on a Tuesday night from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. SASG also run workshops concerning preventation and concern; Preparing, Connecting, Understanding, Assisting and networking . These themes are covering and disucesseed thoroughly in order to assist suicide prevention. We need to do something about the helplessness these people feel before the rates get any higher. Call: 028 9023 9967 or for a 24hour helpline phone Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 Email: suicide_awareness@hotmail.co.uk read more

A group that does crucial work here in Belfast. In the last 10-12 years, the number of suicides in Belfast (particularly north and west) continues to rise at an alarming rate. This group offers support to the families and loved ones who've been bereaved by suicide, as well as offering counselling services to those who are suicidal. They do an excellent job, despite their huge workload. As is the norm for me when I'm reviewing groups of this nature, it gets three stars (see my NICAS review). read more

I would love to know if they Have a webite? Perhaps with a section where the deceased through suicide have a page they can leave comment on, and maybe a facebook group where we can keep a watch on how Joe Mc Gettigan's running the marathon in amersterdam for the blue and pink building! I donated to his sponsorship in memory of my Uncle Damian... Who took his life 7th July 2011... I would appreciate more support from these guys... But I prefer online support, at least initially as I am a SA survivor and a little worried going someowhere on my own before at least getting to know them online... I know from my own history, fighting bi-polar... It can be a fight to increase pain meds(for physical probs) and anti-depressants(when I desperately need them.... And the pdocs don't listen in the 15 mins when they see you... They just put your request for additional anti-ds and a meds change to 'next time' and they say it teverytime for years... The two times I was in hospital, after an attempt, after seeking with a different pdoc for thirty-forty five mins... They discharged me, immediately... No change to my medication or non-medication therapy... Basically they save a drawing man, and when they are feeling less drowned, they throw you back into the big, bad, choppy ocean without a rubber ring again! read more