Interruptions are a major source of frustration for many but Samaritans is marking World Suicide Prevention Day by urging people to break this social rule and help someone they are worried about.
Because while most interruptions are annoying, with a new survey revealing that a phone going off in the cinema or theatre is the interruption most likely to get us hot under the collar, sometimes they can be life-saving.
More than a third of people (39%) don't realise that suicidal thoughts can be interrupted too, so Samaritans' new campaign aims to shine a light on the power of a seemingly ordinary interaction to break the cycle of crisis-thinking.
For Paul, 45 from Somerset, an unexpected interruption from a taxi driver simply asking if he was ok was all it took to change the course of his life.
That taxi driver probably doesn’t know the impact he had that day or how much it helped me. It seems a bit dramatic to say I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that conversation, but that is the reality. It shows that anyone can save a life, just by showing that they care.
Paul
After struggling to balance a high-pressure job and family life, Paul reached crisis point and decided to take his own life but a passing taxi driver stopped and got out to check on him.
“I had started to feel like I was the root cause of every problem and if I removed myself, then that would fix everything. I felt tired, burnt out and broken. I decided I was going to take my own life.
“I was crossing the road when the taxi stopped me. I suspect the driver initially thought it was some idiot not paying attention, but he must’ve recognised that something wasn’t right. He got out to check if I was OK and said something like, ‘you need to talk to someone.’
“So I called Samaritans. I don’t remember much about that call, but they helped me get through the night. They listened and allowed me to offload. It helped me go to bed and try again the next day.”
A life-saving interruption for Paul and a reminder that while we may get annoyed by an ad-break interrupting our favourite show (second most annoying interruption chosen by 34%) an interruption can make an enormous difference when it matters.
The new survey also revealed that three quarters of people in the UK (76%) say society is increasingly being designed to avoid interaction, with two in five (38%) saying they interact with people less than they did five years ago, rising to 43% among those aged 35-54.
But despite our reputation for keeping ourselves to ourselves, people in the UK still place huge value on human connection. More people say they would prefer to turn to a stranger (39%) than AI (32%) if they needed help – showing that we can all have a role to play in looking out for one another.
Samaritans CEO Julie Bentley said: “As a nation known for our social etiquette, it’s no surprise that interruptions can feel irritating, especially when it comes to committing to the cardinal sin of having your phone go off in the theatre.
“But suicidal thoughts can be interrupted and this is hugely important. So this World Suicide Prevention Day, we’re asking people to break the rules. If you think someone might be struggling or experiencing suicidal thoughts, don’t worry about saying the perfect thing. Interrupt. Ask if they’re OK. Show them you care."
“You never know what difference that small moment of human connection could make.”
Samaritans CEO Julie Bentley
Every 90 minutes, someone in the UK and Ireland dies by suicide. But suicide isn’t inevitable. This World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September), Samaritans is encouraging everyone to be prepared to interrupt if they’re worried someone may be experiencing suicidal thoughts. Find advice on how to start a conversation, listen and support someone at www.samaritans.org/interrupt.