Over 700,000 people commit suicide every year worldwide, while there are nearly 1.4 million attempts just here in the United States and 70,000 in Australia. Simply having a conversation and being there for another person may be enough to save that person’s life. But often, it requires the person struggling to take the first step. That’s the concept behind the Be Safe app. Developed by experts in suicide prevention and mental health awareness, the Be Safe app helps to develop a safety plan that steers the user away from suicide and helps them discover other solutions.
Phone contacts and helplines are also available right through the app. The app’s based on research done in the US by Barbara Stanley and Gregory Brown who have done numerous studies around the fact that safety plans can assist in reducing the impact of suicidal thoughts and help people to keep fighting for life. It’s free to use, it can be sent to others, and some include others in the journey for the future. It can be changed as people’s needs and lives change. People can ring supports either formally or informally directly from the app. And lastly, it’s about each individual’s journey, their strengths, their networks, their dreams, and their hopes.
The Be Safe app can be downloaded for free in Google Play or App Store today.
