About this work: 

Regional and rural communities have been overlooked in discussions and targeted responses concerning mental health and suicide prevention. Furthermore, there exists a notable absence of a strong and clear rural advocacy voice in mental health service design and policymaking.

Existing media-based content predominately centres on metropolitan experiences, leaving the narratives of people in country communities without a voice and their distinct challenges unaddressed. 

LELAN’s goal with this project was to authentically portray the experiences, insights, and solution ideas of people who have lived experiences of distress and suicidality in regional, rural and remote South Australian communities, ‘Country SA’.

People across regions in the Barossa Hills Fleurieu, Flinders and Upper North, Eyre and Far North, Riverland Mallee Coorong, Limestone Coast, and Yorke and Northern Local Health Networks were involved. In doing this work, there was a particular focus on how people’s experiences are different in country areas as well as the additional barriers, and opportunities, for responding differently to how things may be done in metropolitan areas.

LELAN is grateful for the people that shared their experiences and wisdom in the film – Howard, Frank, Janet, Petta, Andy, Drew – and the people that contributed through the Project Advisory Group, other co-design activities and by completing the survey.

This project was supported by a small Targeted Regional Initiatives for Suicide Prevention (TRISP) grant from Country SA PHN.

It’s Grim Out Here film:

What we heard:  

Suicidal Thoughts Are Widespread and Deeply Personal:
All people that contributed reported experiencing suicidal thoughts or crisis | Descriptions of suicide often reflect pain, hopelessness, trauma, and a desire for relief.

Barriers to Seeking Help Are Systemic and Cultural:
Fear of judgment and stigma | Lack of anonymity in small communities | Limited access to mental health services | Fear of being detained or misunderstood.

Contributing Factors Are Complex and Interconnected:
Trauma and childhood trauma | Lack of emotional support | Financial Stress and unemployment | Discrimination and isolation.

Support Preferences Emphasise Empathy and Accessibility:
Someone who understands | Peer support and lived experience workers | Face-to-face, non-judgmental spaces | Support from pets, nature, and creative outlets.

Rural Realities Intensify the Crisis:
Service scarcity and long waiting times | Lack of privacy and fear of gossip | Feelings of abandonment by systems and institutions.