This is the view of local mother, Megan Fazah, who lost her son Daniel Szanto to suicide in April this year.

Megan said she was now aware that society often avoided the topic of suicide, which resulted in a lack of awareness about the issue.

"I do think that suicide should not be hush hush and treated like it is too sensitive a subject to talk about," she said.

"I wonder if this is done with the belief that it is respecting the loved ones in their loss.

"Even on the news if you hear about a celebrity that took their lives it is reported as 'under suspicious circumstances'.

"Why is it hidden? It shouldn't be.

"It should be out there and talked about just like depression is now.

"That was once taboo and under that stigma, people suffering were made to feel broken and abnormal."

Megan said there was a need for community awareness in Whyalla about suicide and depression, as many people held negative attitude towards people with depression.

She said she believed this to be ignorant and said it needed to be altered into understanding for more positive outcomes.

"I am sure I am not alone in knowing that some people still have the outdated belief that depression is a sign of weakness or even that it is just a way of seeking attention," Megan said.

"Maybe he [Daniel] had a fear of saying how bad he felt because 'us' as a society let him believe that.

"When you're depressed you lock yourself up away from the world, which seems the only way out of being judged badly or made to feel that you are weak, especially when male.

"When in that dark frame of mind how could he know that ending it all was a permanent solution to a temporary problem."

Megan said she thought there was a lack of support available for people experiencing depression.

She said she hoped a program would be set up to raise awareness about depression and suicide in young people, which could include forums with students at high schools.