Suicide Statistics in the UK – Good and Bad news!

UK Suicides in 2017 - 5,821 

75% were male and 25% female 

 Significant decrease in the male suicide rate as it is at its lowest for 30 years 

(That’s the good news) 

Suicide is the most common form of death for males between the ages of 20 – 49 in England and Wales. 

* Stats from The Mental Health Foundation 
 
Please don’t get me wrong, there isn’t anything good about losing ONE life through suicide as even one is alarming and tragic.  Obviously tragic for the person involved but also for the remaining loved ones who, even if a note is left, are normally left wondering why?   
 
For many people, this may well continue to be an unanswered question and the guilt associated with not ‘seeing the signs’ can be all encompassing.  

Obviously, some people who commit suicide have identifiable mental health issues although many don’t.   

Some people talk about suicide or feel as if they are giving hints to others about their intentions, but with some, it appears they make the decision hours or minutes before they act.  
 
One of the main issues for research into this subject is that no-one can speak to anyone who has committed suicide.  So, they can only talk to people who have either contemplated or survived a suicide attempt.  Naturally enough, this is going to be a different group of people with potentially different outlooks. 

From this group, some have spoken about not necessarily wanting to die but to stop wanting to live. 

Obviously, every suicide is different because every individual is different however, for most people, it seems to be sparked by intense feelings such as: 

• Depression and/or anxiety 
• An illness or medication that can trigger a change in mood 
• Stress, Loss of self-esteem, Personal crisis – such as redundancy, break up of a relationship
• Significant loss 
• Exposure to someone else’s suicide 

Everyone at some time in their life is going to experience some of the challenges listed above and thankfully, most people don’t act by taking their own life.  I know from personal experience that some of life’s experiences can take you ‘to the brink’.   However, if you feel that you are affected by these issues, I can assure you that there is always a solution. 
 
Naturally, if you feel suicidal then you should seek professional assistance or if you would like some additional information then please get in touch today by booking a free 30-minute call with me.