World Mental Health Day: Portsmouth charity Tonic seeks city-wide scheme to help prevent suicide

As we mark World Mental Health Day, Tonic Music for Mental Health wants to start a programme to help everybody who has suicidal thoughts – and help others recognise the warning signs.

And with a significant number of suicides taking place around the city in recent weeks, the charity’s founder is hoping to bring people together and start a city-wide conversation aimed at tackling the crisis.

The charity started to help people related to the music industry but this new programme – dubbed Never Mind The Stigma – will be open to all.

Tonic’s founder Steph Langan said: ‘There's a lot of hurt at the moment and so many other emotions as well.

‘I had been thinking about this whole idea – what we can do to prevent more suicides? – for a long time.

‘This last month or so has just made it more urgent.’

Steph wants to adapt the charity’s existing Tonic Rider scheme which provides suicide first aid and mental health first aid training incorporating a variety of workshops, support groups, counselling, developing emotional coping skills and more.

‘At the moment we have got the Tonic Rider which is for musicians, but we want to be able to help anyone and I think we need to use our skills and our expertise to offer that support and signpost people to the right place.’

Steph, whose day job is also in mental health, believes that part of the problem is the lack of a targeted scheme to combat the crisis.

‘We can't just keep commissioning services and hoping they’ll work – people need to be asked what they want as well.

‘What is it Portsmouth people need? We want it to be specific to here and what people here need, so it feels like everyone's project.

‘People still aren't getting through – they aren't feeling there's somewhere for them to go, someone for them to talk to.’

Whereas the existing Tonic Rider runs as a six-week course, Steph sees the new project as being an ongoing thing that people can dip in and out of as needed.

SEE ALSO: See inside Kingston Prison’s redevelopment in to luxury flats

‘I don't see this as something we want to be running as Tonic – I want the community to be part of this as well. We need everyone working together on this – it’s everyone's responsibility to be looking out for each other.

‘I want us to be able to train people so they can take the lead and teach others and be active in supporting others.

‘We can't save everyone but we can try and make a difference. I understand why people don't reach out, but we can start making people feel like they can make that first step.

‘We need as many people involved in this conversation as possible.’

Tonic is also currently offering specialist training for independent retailers in how to recognise when customers are having suicidal thoughts, and how to offer to help, thanks to a grant from Portsmouth Community Lottery. To find out more, go to: tonicmusic.co.uk/post/sfalre.

Tonic is based at the Frank Sorrell Centre in Prince Albert Road, Southsea and is open Monday-Wednesday, 10am-4pm.

For more information go to: tonicmusic.co.uk. Contact the team via [email protected].