The mum of a young woman who died after falling from a car park is urging mental health professionals to treat each suicide attempt as a ‘fresh’ case.
Dawn Stansfield's daughter Mollie had attempted suicide on several occasions before she died in July 2019, Hull Live reports.
She believes some mental health workers have a tendency to treat suicide attempts as cries for help if an individual has tried to take their own life before.
Urging them instead to treat every attempt as though it’s the first, she said: "Mental health staff can become too familiar with people with mental health issues.
She said: "I personally think there needs to be re-training and I can say that, on my daughter's behalf.
"If the kids threaten to commit suicide enough times, they stop believing it, and that's what happened with Mollie. I think every suicide attempt should be taken as if it was the first and looked at with a fresh eye each time."
Mollie, 22, who lived with her mum Dawn and dad Graham in east Hull, was found on the afternoon of July 10, with police cordoning off the area for several hours.
She was described as “funny, beautiful, loyal, loving, caring and thoughtful” by her mum who said Mollie also “led a colourful lifestyle” but was troubled after a number of deaths and tragedies in the family, reports HullLive.
She had previously threatened and attempted suicide on many occasions and Dawn, speaking about the prevalence of suicide among young people, said: "Mollie's death is a life sentence.
"When someone commits suicide they pass on their pain, and it's a life sentence to those people that loved them. I will never get over this.
"I don't know how to come to terms with it, it's two years in July, and it still feels unbelievable."
The devastated mum is now a trustee of Mysterious Minds, a charity launched to help families bereaved after suicide, and said she would like to see a national conversation about suicide involving schools.
"I am a member of several online groups with parents whose children have committed suicide, and some are as young as nine,” Dawn, who is also mum to Joe and Kayleigh, added.
“Whenever I hear about another suicide I am dumb-struck and wonder what the world is coming to.
"I can't understand what is happening to our youngsters today, this wasn't even on our radar when I was growing up.
"There is not enough help available and this needs to be part of a national conversation.
"Some children give out no warning signs whatsoever, and then others are very vocal about it. But we need youngsters to realise that depression is temporary, and suicide is forever.
"This needs talking about more openly in schools, it needs to be part of the curriculum."
As part of her mission to help families affected by suicide, Dawn works tirelessly for the foundation, which was set up by Chelsey Dalee after her partner Jamie committed suicide in 2016, at the age of 37.
The charity provides financial help for families to cover funeral costs, and trustees Chelsey, Dawn, and Chelsey's sister Leona Dalee also support bereaved families and people struggling with suicidal thoughts.
The foundation have organised a fundraising memorial walk over the Humber Bridge on Sunday, July 18, meeting at the car park at 1pm, to raise funds and for family and friends to gather to remember loved ones who have been taken by suicide.
Dawn said people are invited to wear something that reminds them of a loved one, and sponsorship forms are available through the Mysterious Minds Facebook page.
"We want as many as people as possible to come along. It is for anyone who has been affected by suicide,” she added.
*If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch
