- In 2017 there were 6,213 suicides in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
- Of these, 5,821 suicides were registered in the UK
- and 392 occurred in the Republic of Ireland.
- In the UK, men are three times as likely to take their own lives than women.
- In the UK, the highest suicide rate was for men aged 45-49
Masculinity – the way men are brought up to
behave and the roles, attributes and behaviours that society expects of them – contributes to suicide in men..
behave and the roles, attributes and behaviours that society expects of them – contributes to suicide in men..
Samaritans report, 'Men and Suicide: Why it's a social issue'
Terrifying statistics that became a reality for our family at the
beginning of the summer break when a friend of ours whom I have known for over 20 years committed suicide, leaving behind 2 lovely young children and a devastated wife. An older son, A father, a sister, family in law.
In a split second, their lives changed.
In a split second, their lives changed.
Then the ripple effect, his close friends, his school and other friends,
his children’s friends families, his ex colleagues, his neighbours......
people who loved him, people who cared.
It is going to take a lot of time and a lot of love for his closest family
and friends to come to terms with this and for them to pick up the pieces of their broken lives and rebuild some semblance of normality now after the funeral. I suspect they are working through many emotions and there is so little anyone can really do to make it any easier.
and friends to come to terms with this and for them to pick up the pieces of their broken lives and rebuild some semblance of normality now after the funeral. I suspect they are working through many emotions and there is so little anyone can really do to make it any easier.
Mental health is different to your physical Heath. It’s scary to face and talk honestly about, but so, so important not to neglect.
But it is not always as easy to see as a physical problem which is why we need to fight to change people’s attitudes and societies perception of mental health. We need to raise boys to become men who can be open about their feelings, men who are confident to be sensitive, and
that know that it is okay to not always be okay and to seek support when it’s not.
that know that it is okay to not always be okay and to seek support when it’s not.
So, alongside his best friend, my bro in law Glen and my sister Jo, Ian and I and some other friends will be undertaking an 8 mile night time walk from Greenwich to Big Ben on Saturday 26th October for the charity CALM ( Campaign against living miserably ) who’s frontline services run a free and confidential helpline and web chat.
They offer support for those bereaved by suicide and they spread their message and facilitate supportive spaces in workplaces, universities, nubs, clubs and prisons to help people feel empowered to share experiences and get the help they need before they reach the point of crisis.
“As time goes backwards, we’re walking forwards to campaign against feeling rubbish, against struggling in silence, against being alone, against living miserably.
16 people take their own life every day, leaving behind thousands of friends and family and colleagues. On the day we are given extra time, we walk for those for whom there wasn’t enough.”
There is little else we can do but walk, talk, remember him and raise some money that may help someone else in need.
If you would like to sponsor us you can use this link to our Just giving page.
