The deadly problem that is now on the rise in Australia: 'There is a need to actually act'
Isolation and loneliness are back among the top factors for elevated suicide risk following the COVID-19 pandemic, a major report reveals.
Cost of living and personal debt lead the list for distress, followed by family and relationship breakdowns, findings from Suicide Prevention Australia's Community Tracker quarterly survey show.
Social isolation - reported as the biggest factor behind distress during COVID-19 lockdowns - was third, on the rise again and overtaking housing affordability for the first time since 2023.
The report says the findings spotlight a shift toward 'deeper social challenges impacting the nation'.
Australians aged 18 to 24 were increasingly feeling isolated, with one in three reporting loneliness - 10 per cent more than those older than 50.
Things affecting the general population tended to be more extreme for young people, Suicide Prevention Australia acting chief executive Christopher Stone said.
'There is kind of a common perception that loneliness is only a problem for older people ... it's hard to know exactly what's causing that,' he said.
'One of the things I have heard talked about is the possibility that for young people who are still suffering some of these tough economic problems, that is leading to their inability to actually kind of get the social contact that they need.'
The June report found almost three in 10 Australians knew someone who had died by or attempted suicide in the past year.
While one in seven people experienced suicidal behaviour in the past 12 months, people were reaching out to prevention services and personal networks.
One in four young people experienced suicidal behaviour in the past year, with 44 per cent of all young Australians seeking help from services.
The report found young Australians were increasingly reaching support through community and peer connections, with access to services at a record high.
But distress linked to these issues was gradually declining, it said, as the federal government's economic policies took effect and alleviated financial stress.
Cost of living remained the lead stressor for all Australians at 45 per cent, but was down five percentage points from its peak in February 2024.
'That's not surprising ... but it is a good sign,' Mr Stone said.
He urged the government to implement and fund the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
'That's a plan that the government has released only a few months ago and it's an excellent plan,' he said.
'But it is currently not funded or implemented and the best plan in the world is nothing if you don't actually act on it.
'What these (report) results are showing is that there is a need to actually act.'
The Suicide Prevention Australia Community Tracker is undertaken in partnership with YouGov Australia.
The survey of 1008 adults was conducted online from May 13 to 15.
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