By Dr Fadh Yusof

World Suicide Prevention Day 2026 falls on Thursday, 10 September. It is a timely reminder that mental health challenges can touch any of us, including those working on the frontline of healthcare. In medicine, we often focus on caring for others, but the pressures of the profession mean clinicians can also experience serious psychological distress. Here are some tips for supporting yourself and others all year round.

Changing the narrative

Prevention cannot rest only on individual resilience. It requires healthier systems, safer workplaces, and a culture where doctors feel able to check in with each other and seek help early.

World Suicide Prevention Day’s theme of ‘Changing the Narrative on Suicide’ invites us to challenge harmful myths, reduce stigma and have more open, compassionate conversations about suicide.

In practice, this means moving away from silence and misunderstanding, and towards empathy, support, and environments where people feel safe to speak up and ask for help.

A significant occupational health concern

Suicide among Australian doctors remains a significant occupational health concern. Between 2001 and 2017, national mortality studies recorded a suicide rate of 11.9 per 100,000 person-years among medical practitioners, with 121 doctor suicides during this period.

The findings are especially concerning for female doctors, whose suicide rate rose from 3.1 to 15.0 per 100,000 person-years between 2001-2006 and 2013-2017, a more than fourfold increase. Female doctors also had substantially higher suicide rates than women in other occupations, while rates among male doctors were similar to those of other employed men.

These figures sit within a broader picture of mental ill-health in the profession. Around 23% of doctors report symptoms consistent with a common mental disorder, and 9% report suicidal thoughts in the previous 12 months, higher than rates seen in the general Australian population. For junior doctors, working more than 55 hours a week is associated with about double the odds of both common mental disorder and suicidal ideation, reminding us that workplace factors matter.

 

Practical ways to support each other

Let’s start with the people around us. In medicine, this means looking out for colleagues and helping to create workplaces where it feels safe to say, “I’m not doing well.”

  • Check in regularly: Do not wait for a crisis to ask someone how they are going. A quick conversation over coffee, in the corridor or after a difficult shift can mean more than we realise.

  • Listen without trying to fix everything: When a colleague opens up, we do not need to have all the answers. Often, the most helpful thing is to listen carefully, acknowledge what they are carrying and encourage them to access support.

  • Take part in awareness activities: Community events, such as Lifeline’s Out of the Shadows Walk, are a visible way to show support and help keep the conversation going.


Digital tools for support

Apps are not a substitute for professional care, but they can provide discreet, immediate support and practical prompts when someone is struggling. These tools may be useful:

  • Beyond Now: A free Lifeline suicide safety planning app that helps people build a clear, personal plan for moments of crisis, including warning signs, coping strategies, support contacts, and steps to make their environment safer. Download: iOS | Android

  • MoodTools: An app designed to support people experiencing depression or low mood, with features such as a suicide safety plan and thought diaries based on Cognitive Therapy principles. Download: iOS | Android

  • Prevent A Suicide: What To Say: A practical app for when you are worried about someone but unsure what to say. It offers medically approved, peer-supported prompts to help start a safe and supportive conversation. Download: iOS | Android

 

Dr Fadhullah (Fadh) Yusof is a Paediatric Registrar and Clinical Tutor at the University of Melbourne.

References available on request.