10/09/2026
Su***de Prevention
Su***de is a theme in my life, not just professionally which you might expect, it comes with the territory of working in psychiatric services and community mental ill health. On a personal level I have known many people who have taken their lives both directly and indirectly. From a young child I was aware of su***de, my dad’s best man died this way.
Su***de is the single leading cause of death for men under the age of 50 in the UK and the leading cause of death for all young people under 35. The statistics are shocking and have not reduced in two decades, as far as I am aware.
I know from studying the data that people who didn’t go ahead with their planned destruction, it was human intervention, words of kindness, acknowledgment of distress, genuine concern and connection, which made the difference.
When someone is dead it’s too late. What we can all do is be more aware when people are struggling, check in on them, trust your gut and never be afraid to ask: “are you ok?” These three words can save a life!!
You don’t wake up in the morning and decide to kill yourself. It’s the tip of the iceberg and often there have been difficulties for years. Red flags that people reassure themselves will go away, resolve or maybe just don’t know how to face. People don’t want to kill themselves, they want the pain to stop.
All my love - Vicki ❤️❤️
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