It’s official - we’re having more conversations about suicide

Key headlines:

• +8% increase in conversations about suicide between December and May

• +6% increase in the confidence to talk to family about suicide 

• Paid media campaign exceeds all targets - in some cases substantially 

Research conducted by YouGov on behalf of Suicide Prevention Scotland has shown people in Scotland are having more conversations about suicide.

We also know that people are now more confident to talk about suicide with family.

These findings apply to family, friends and colleagues. They are based on an online survey of 1,002 adults (15-19 May 2025) using identical questions to previously asked in December 2024.

Figures have been weighted and are representative of all Scotland adults (aged 18+).

This new data is revealed as Scotland’s biggest conversation about suicide continues, following the launch of a groundbreaking national campaign.

Co-produced by people with lived and living experience of suicide it asked a simple question, What if a conversation about suicide could save a life?

The campaign four people, each of whom agreed to share their story having been bereaved by, attempted or actively considered suicide.

They do so by writing a letter to a loved one, or themself, which feature in a powerful new film.

The idea behind the campaign is that we need to normalise talking about suicide and give people the confidence to have a conversation that might just save someone’s life.

The four participants are Seonaid Stallan, Ross Cunningham, Clare Collin, and Laura Junor. They came together to share their letters and discuss their experiences, in a series of moving conversations.

This is important, because suicide is a topic that makes many of us nervous; it can feel like the hardest thing in the world.

What if I say the wrong thing? Could I make the situation worse? Maybe I’m worrying over nothing and would look foolish to bring it up?

But here’s something lots of people don’t realise.

Talking about suicide is the best way to prevent it from happening.

The campaign coincided with the launch of the new suicideprevention.scot website, which has attracted 17,000 unique visitors so far. Interestingly, 60% of the traffic has come via performance media, according to Google Analytics. 11,000 unique users have visited the /whatif campaign page.

A key part of the campaign was paid digital media advertising, featuring content on YouTube, across Meta (Facebook and Instagram), and a digital display platform called Mobsta.

Around 58% of people viewed the full YouTube ad, which is significantly above an industry expected target of 43%.

On Meta, the adverts appeared over two million times, resulting in 10,800 clicks to visit the Suicide Prevention Scotland website.

Meanwhile, the Mobsta display adverts performed brilliantly. A staggering click through rate of 2.18% (against a benchmark of 0.6%) from almost a million impressions generated over 20,000 clicks.

The campaign was supported by out of home (OOH) roadside advertising, railway station ads and bus rear ads across Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Inverness, and Aberdeen.

Content was weighted in favour of areas of higher deprivation, based on SIMD postcode data, both on digital and the location of out of home ads.

A post-campaign user test was also conducted with partners Stickybeak.

Of an audience of 400 participants, 54% had heard of the campaign.

And of that number, 64% had seen creative in different settings and 58% said they felt more confident about the issue of suicide than before.

This work is led by Suicide Prevention Scotland, the community of organisations working to deliver the Scottish Government and COSLA’s joint suicide prevention strategy, Creating Hope Together.

There are four outcomes that shape the strategy with SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) having responsibility for the key outcome that supports the campaign and website, improving understanding of suicide and tackling stigma.

In addition to those with their own experiences of suicide, the campaign was developed with a group of people which also included those with professional experience and academic expertise. Suicide prevention specialists from local areas (Fife and Ayrshire) were also involved, as was SeeMe, Scotland’s national programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination.

Our four participants also took part in managed media opportunities, resulting in national coverage across the BBC, Scottish Daily Mail, The Herald, and The Scottish Sun. 

The campaign, was led by creative communications agency Electrify, who lead strategic communications & campaigns for Suicide Prevention Scotland.

Media buying for the campaign was managed by Republic of Media.

Two further campaign phases are planned for 2025-26, with details to be announced in due course. Our thinking will continue to be bold, encouraging conversations. 

Organisations can continue to order free digital resources - click here. 

If you are having thoughts of suicide, please reach out for help, speak to someone you trust or call one of these helplines:

• Samaritans 116 123 or use the online chat at samaritans.org

• Breathing Space 0800 83 85 87

• NHS 24 mental health hub on 111

If you are ever in immediate danger or have the means to cause yourself harm, you should dial 999 and request an ambulance.