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Are they really OK? Ask them today

R U OK? ‘Are they really OK? Ask them today, to encourage all Australians to think about how the people in their world are really going.

‘Are they really OK? Ask them today’, comes in response to new research1 which has found that 22% of Australians aren’t reaching out to ask ‘are you OK?’ because there hasn’t been an occasion where they felt someone needed their help.

“R U OK? is encouraging all Australians to pause and consider how the people in their world are really going, and to make asking ‘are you OK?’, a part of their everyday,” R U OK? CEO Katherine Newton said.

Today – R U OK?Day, Thursday 9 September – is a national day of action that reinforces the importance of staying connected with your friends, family and colleagues through all life’s ups and downs, big or small.

“We want to emphasise that an R U OK? conversation is not only for when someone is visibly distressed or in crisis and remind everyone that their support can make a difference for anyone who is struggling,” Ms Newton said.

The research also found that seven percent of those surveyed felt it was a conversation you didn’t need to have unless someone seemed to be in a really bad way, or in crisis.

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“None of us are immune to life’s challenges whether that’s a relationship breakdown, financial worries, work pressure or, sadly for some, the loss of a loved one,” Ms Newton said. “Sometimes it won’t be obvious that someone is having a hard time, but we know that when we ask early and in a genuine way, we can help someone who might be struggling feel connected and supported, long before they are in crisis.”

R U OK? has released a range of free resources for R U OK? Day, including tips and tools to help Australians know when and how to have an R U OK? conversation.

For support at any time, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Footnote
1 Kantar Public R U OK?Day Research, 2021.

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