Can you help with this petition? It is about supporting those who feel they cannot go on.
https://chn.ge/2NyDHT2 Sadly the number of suicides for men has grown and it is the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK. It is probable that each of us knows someone in their community who has taken their own life.
The number of child suicides is also growing. 98 children under 15 yrs old killed themselves in the UK from 2005 to 2014, that was 59 boys and 39 girls. Why would children of that age feel they could not go on living? Do they truly realise what they are doing? It is frightening. Cyber bullying has increased even more so since then. Being embarrassed or hounded by others seems to be a growing trend. We need to make sure we talk to our children. Not just about being bullied but also about not bullying others, because what might seem like a game to them could be the final straw to another child.
The over 15 yrs group is not immune either. There were 177 suicides among 15-19 yr olds in 2017, compared with 110 in 2010. London is particularly bad with youth suicides higher than the national average.
Consider the suicide numbers worldwide, according to WHO, approx one million people kill themselves each year, that is about one death every 40 seconds or 3,000 per day, and for each individual who takes his or her own life, at least 20 attempt to do so. All ages are affected. Staggering!
Consider then celebrity suicides, especially those in the music industry that often influence others such as Avicii, Chester Bennington, Chris Cornell, Kurt Cobain, Lil Peep and perhaps even Mac Miller. Add to that well known actors and sportsmen and those influences soon add up. Children in particular are easily swayed but adults are not immune when they see someone with a "perfect" life kill themselves. It is easy for someone to think that if that celebrity couldn't cope with life with all the benefits they had, how can anyone expect me to.
We need everyone, our children and young adults especially, to realise that yes things get hard but there is always a way through and that starts with sharing how they feel and asking for help. That also means the UK government focusing on and finding the resources to improve mental health support but first and foremost family, friends, teachers, employers and colleagues also need to play their part. Let's help reduce suicide rates anyway we can. Signing this petition and supporting other mental health measures would be a good start.
Cheers JJ
