For World Suicide Prevention Day, the Movember Foundation is reminding men that it’s incredibly important to talk about mental health issues — before it’s too late.
Content warning: Discussion of suicide.
In this video, men read the notes they’d left prior to their own suicide attempts in years past. While these men were fortunate enough to have the chance to look back on those painful moment, many aren’t.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men die by suicide 3.5 times more often than women in the United States, taking the largest share of over 41,000 deaths by intentional self harm each year. Everyone needs support if we’re going to bring that number down, but we clearly need to change something about how we help men through mental health crises.
Communication is a necessary part of that change. We know that talk therapy call help prevent suicide, so it’s extremely important to find a way to communicate suicidal feelings.
HeadsUpGuys is an organization that helps men cope with depression. If you’re a guy who’s dealing with mental health issues and you’re not sure where to start, it has great resources. It also offers advice for people who want to support the men in their lives. If you don’t know whether it’s a good idea to get involved, the Canadian Centre for Suicide Prevention has compiled research which shows that while there are many reasons people may be nervous about talking to someone about suicide, the benefits far outweigh the risks.
If you are concerned that someone in your life may be suicidal, Help Guide offers detailed recommendations for how to help.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If you are outside the U.S., you can visit IASP or Suicide.org for a nearby crisis line.
