World Suicide Prevention Day 2018
To mark World Suicide Prevention Day, we ran research amongst 2,000 UK adults to find out their experiences and views on mental health and suicide.
Suicide is something that affects many of us in different ways; over half have experience of suicidal behaviour or thoughts, either themselves or through knowing someone who has experienced this.
With suicide being the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK, we thought it important to explore opinions about men?s mental health in general. Shockingly, almost three-quarters agree that men are discouraged from expressing their emotions and talking about their mental health. The UK population does realise that more emphasis needs to be placed on men?s mental health, with over two thirds saying that there is not currently enough emphasis on men?s mental health.
When it comes to preventing suicide, the majority agree that conversation is important in the fight against suicide. In line with this, 79% agree that suicide needs to be spoken about more openly in society. Coupled with the above findings, as a society we should encourage men to be more open about their mental health, there has already been positive change in the past few years when it comes to openness about mental health, but there?s still a way to go. What?s certain is that to prevent suicide we need to work together, and the UK population are behind this movement, with most agreeing that everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention.
Some key findings from the research:
- t
- Over half (52%) have experience of suicide either personally or through knowing someone who has experience suicide behaviour or thoughts
- Only 56% would know where to turn if they were feeling suicidal
- Two thirds (68%) don?t think there is enough emphasis on men?s mental health
- Three quarters (73%) acknowledge that men are discouraged from expressing their emotions and talking about their mental health. Rising to 85% amongst 18-24 year olds
- The majority (88%) agree that conversation is important in the fight against suicide
t
t
t
t
The full data tables can be found†here.
†
If you want to talk more about your mental health, you can contact the Samaritans for free from any telephone at any time of day on 116 123.
There are also many other forms of support available here.
If you?re worried about someone else, then you can find advice on the Samaritan?s website (http://www.samaritans.org/difficultconversations)
