A local mental health professional says Australia is experiencing a "suicide crisis" as a new national report suggests the problem will get worse in the coming decade.
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Suicide prevention and engagement manager at Lifeline Mid Coast Kelly Saidey said "early intervention" was the key to addressing the "suicide crisis".
"Intervening before a person gets to a crisis point where their thought processes cannot think of any other options but to end their lives," Ms Saidey said.
She said recent research indicates that many "psychosocial factors are becoming indicators for suicidal thoughts".
"Financial stress, personal issues and social environmental factors," Ms Saidey said.
"At Lifeline we encourage any person to call 13 11 14 before getting to a crisis point to talk about daily stressors before they become an emergency."
According to a new report, Turning Points: Imagine a World Without Suicide, the rate of suicide is on track to increase dramatically - by 40 per cent in the next decade - unless Australia does more to prevent it.
The report, released on Suicide Prevention Day (September 10), predicts an extra 1300 suicide deaths a year will occur by 2030 if the worsening rates of the last decade continue.
Suicide Prevention Australia chief executive Nieves Murray said the findings were a major wake-up call to look beyond traditional health care responses.
"Australia has a world-class safety net of mental health and suicide prevention services ready and waiting to help," Ms Murray said.
"The challenge for this decade is preventing the next wave of stressors - whether they be financial, personal or environmental - transforming into a threat to suicide rates in the first place."
Ms Murray said Australia needs to be better at proactively predicting the economic and social risks around the corner, to prevent suicide rates from increasing.
"The time to take action is now - Australia cannot afford another decade of increasing suicide rates," she said.
The modelling in 'Turning Points: Imagine a World Without Suicide' report shows 3801 deaths by suicide in a single year after 2030 on the current trajectory.
Thousands of people across the Hastings joined Lifeline's Out of the Shadows walks coinciding with World Suicide Prevention Week on Sunday, September 8.
Walks are held in honour of those lost to suicide, bringing their memory into the light and removing the stigma surrounding suicide.
