This September, Australians Are Searching for ways to Prevent Suicide

Google Trends reveals a recurring September rise in searches for suicide prevention and R U OK?, while Robinvale-Euston continues to build a culture of conversation, connection and support

With September marking an important month for mental health and suicide prevention awareness, Google Trends data shows Australians are once again turning to Google for information about suicide prevention, mental health and ways to support others.

An analysis of Australian Google search interest over the past five years reveals a striking recurring pattern: searches for “suicide prevention” have risen around September each year, with the highest point occurring in September 2024.

The pattern is also evident in searches for “R U OK?”, which have recorded a significant September peak in each of the past five years.

While Google Trends cannot tell us exactly why people are searching or what they are experiencing, the data shows a clear rise in searches for suicide prevention and “R U OK?” around September each year. With R U OK? Day held on September 10, the recurring September increase highlights a time when conversations about mental health, suicide prevention and checking in with others are particularly prominent.

The related searches also show that Australians are looking for practical information and support. Among the searches showing growth are “suicide prevention”, “suicide hotline”, “Lifeline”, “suicide helpline”, “suicide prevention day”, “World Suicide Prevention Day” and “suicide risk assessment”.

For Robinvale and Euston, the timing is particularly significant, with the community preparing for the annual Out of the Shadows Walk on this Fathers Day, September 6.

Organised through the Robinvale Euston Suicide Prevention (RESP) Network, the local walk will begin at the Euston Club, travel to the Robinvale Community Centre and return along the Murray River, covering nine kilometres. The event is open to families, friends, sporting clubs and workplaces, with a free barbecue to follow at the Euston Club.

The walk forms part of the broader Out of the Shadows initiative surrounding World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, providing an opportunity for people to remember those lost, show their support and help keep conversations about mental health going.

The local network's work extends beyond the annual walk, with RESP continuing to focus on reducing stigma, encouraging people to seek help and strengthening connections within the Robinvale and Euston communities.

Keeping the conversation going through sport

Mental health conversations have also become an important part of the local sporting community.

The Nathan Shanahan Memorial Cup, played between Robinvale Euston and Imperials on August 1 this year, honours the memory of Nathan Shanahan and his commitment to raising awareness of mental health.

Nathan was a veteran and first responder who openly shared his own experiences with mental health. In 2015, he walked more than 400 kilometres from Mildura to Adelaide carrying a 20-kilogram army pack, using the journey to talk openly about his own “war within” and the mental health challenges faced by those who serve and work in emergency services. Sadly, Nathan lost his battle with mental illness in 2016.

His legacy has continued through Walking Off The War Within, a community-driven movement encouraging people to come together, walk, talk and support one another.

The Memorial Cup provides another way that his legacy lives on locally,  through mateship, respect and the spirit of country football and netball.

The importance of checking in with others was also highlighted at the Robinvale Euston Football Netball Club's recent How's Ya Mate? mental health presentation.

Former police officer Luke Baker shared his lived experience of mental health, resilience and recovery with players, coaches, committee members, volunteers and supporters at the clubrooms.

The presentation was part of the Sunraysia Football and Netball League's How's Ya Mate? initiative, delivered in partnership with Lifeline Loddon Mallee to encourage sporting clubs to make mental health and wellbeing part of their ongoing conversations.

Robinvale Euston Football Netball Club President Vince Natale said the message was particularly significant alongside the Nathan Shanahan Memorial Cup.

Nathan's legacy, he said, was about starting conversations, checking in on mates and reminding people that it is okay to ask for help.  It is a message that extends well beyond the football field.

Sporting clubs are places where people build friendships, volunteer, socialise and find a sense of belonging. Creating opportunities for people to talk openly and check in with one another can help make those connections even stronger.

A conversation that continues

The Google Trends data provides a snapshot of what Australians are searching for, but the activity happening in Robinvale and Euston shows what those conversations can look like within a community.

As September approaches, Google searches for suicide prevention and R U OK? are once again beginning to follow their familiar seasonal pattern.

For the Robinvale-Euston community, it is another reminder that while September provides an important opportunity to raise awareness, the conversation is one worth continuing all year round.

Google Trends data used in this article was collected for Australia, Web Search, over the past five years. Google Trends measures relative search interest rather than the number of searches or the number of people experiencing a particular issue. Search interest is indexed on a scale, meaning the data can show changes and patterns in search behaviour but cannot explain why an individual searched for a particular term.

The article uses Google Trends data for the search terms “suicide prevention” and “R U OK?”, alongside related search queries, and places those findings in the context of mental health and suicide-prevention initiatives in Robinvale and Euston.

This content is part of a paid partnership with Google to promote Google Trends.

If you or someone you know needs immediate support, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14, by text on 0477 13 11 14, or through its online crisis support service.