Who is Distract the Squirrel & why are they trying to distract everyone's squirrel?

Distract the Squirrel Pty Ltd was created by people with lived experience of mental health challenges, mental illness, recovery, & wellbeing. The Company is made up of one woman and two men who share a common goal: to help the community gain more understanding on why suicide is a choice, so hopefully it won’t need to be a choice anymore.

Every day in Australia, an average of two women lose their lives to suicide compared to an average of seven men. Around the world, an average of 500 women die by suicide each day, compared to an average of 1500 men.

Why did Distract the Squirrel create this deck?

We don't want to lose another friend, colleague, family member, community member, or acquaintance to suicide.

If these cards help even one person better understand themselves, reach out for support, start an important conversation, then they have served their purpose.

We created this deck for anyone who has ever been distracted by their own "squirrel"—those thoughts, feelings, memories, worries, or distractions that can pull us away from the present moment.

It's for the person who gets completely side-tracked when a dog walks past, loses themselves in memories triggered by the smell of fresh rain, or becomes so invested in a football game they start kicking goals from the couch.

More importantly, it's for those who get caught in negative self-talk or rumination, become their own harshest critic, struggle with overwhelming thoughts, or find themselves in a place they're not sure how to return from.