Tag Archives: suicide

London Nightline: Listening Saves Lives

13 Sunday Dec 2015

Posted by in Features, Mental Health

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“I have made two attempts to kill myself. At the time I really felt there were no other options and that people would be better off without me” says Maxine Williamson

Through her twenties, she battled depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Like most people, she believed suicide was a selfish option. But once you reach that point, misery masks itself like logic and you can come to some warped conclusions. “I actually thought it was the least selfish thing to do.”

The distressing root of her illness made her feel she couldn’t talk to her family. She felt like she was a burden. When you’re moving to a big city or starting university, friends can be difficult to find. Tougher still to find ones who you feel able share things with that you’ve never put into words before.

Suicide amongst students is a problem. There has been a 49% increase in student suicides between the years 2007-2011, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Whilst male student suicides were up 36%, female student suicides almost doubled in the same period. It is likely those numbers are even higher now.

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GP Trainee Commits Suicide Fearing Suspension for Drinking

27 Friday Nov 2015

Posted by in Mental Health, News, The NHS, Uncategorized

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Dr James Halcrow, 34, had been told not to drink by General Medical Council (GMC) following his self referral for  “other issues he was having”.

He was found dead by friends in his flat in Manchester’s Northern Quarter on June 24. An inquest heard he had hanged himself due to fears he would fail an alcohol test.

Since his death it has come to light he had won the national award ‘Trainee GP of the Year’. The note which was found with his body read: “I’m sorry.”

At the inquest into his death Ian Halcrow, his father and former soldier, said: “He had an amazing number of friends. He thrived on friendship and had a very close family as well.” According to the Manchester Evening Standard.

He added: “He chose to refer himself to the GMC off his own back. He was a very honest person and felt it was the correct thing to do as a responsible individual and medical practitioner.”

Dr Halcrow had attended two interviews with the GMC both leaving him hopeful of getting the restrictions lifted. However he felt the final interview had gone badly after he said he would drink socially once the GMC had finished their investigation.

Coroner Dr Jean Harkin said of his death: “It is clear James was an excellent doctor, so much so he was given an award. He was very sociable and this restriction affected him deeply and affected the social side of his life also”

Doctors at Risk

In 2014 a doctor under investigation by the GMC was 20 times more likely to commit suicide than a member general public according to figures from the Department of Health.

South London GP and blogger Dr Una Coales, who has herself faced investigation from the RCGP said:

“The GMC must reform and ensure they arrange counselling and support for any doctor they are investigating or putting under restrictions that may affect employment and pay.”

 

If you feel affected by any of the issues raised here and need someone to talk with the Samaritans are always happy to listen. They provide a 24 hour, free and confidential service:

Call 116 123

Featured image accredited to  DarkoStojanovic 

The Full Monty – A story of Men’s Mental Health

26 Thursday Nov 2015

Posted by in Mental Health

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The Full Monty tells the story of a six unemployed men from Sheffield who decide to form a striptease act in an attempt to change their fortunes. But they confront a number of mental health issues along the way.

The film was a major critical success grossing over $250 from a budget of less than $3 million. This made it the highest grossing film in the UK until it was outsold by Titanic.

The Full Monty gathered critical acclaim in a number of fields winning 35 awards including recognition for choreography and an Oscar for best music:

 

 

But looking back it’s down to earth discussion of male mental health issues also deserves recognition.

On their journey the six former steelworkers confronts depression, suicide erectile dysfunction (ED), and body image in the wake of redundancy.

However light hearted, the film normalises mental illness by demonstrating it’s frequency.  It shows that ‘blokey’ men can have non judgmental conversations about mental health. It also highlights the value of peer support but doesn’t shy away from how difficult men find it to talk about these issues.

Although peer support is advocated by the Royal College of Psychiatrists it isn’t always enough.  From a mental health perspective, the most frustrating element of the lovable characters stories is their failure to seek professional help.

The effects of Unemployment

The Full Monty also tackles the impact of unemployment which has a huge effect on psychological well-being. So much so research indicates unemployed people are two to three times more at risk of death by suicide than fully employed people.

A study looking at the effects of unemployment in Bradford took people who lost their job during the 2009-2010 economic recession. It found three main experiences that made involuntary unemployment a serious detriment to mental health:

  • Inability to pursue goals: Immediately people are unable to save, buy/do the things they want. In the long term career is damaged or lost.
  • ‘Spoiled identities’: People suffer an identity crisis during the image transition from someone who works to someone who doesn’t. They may experience ‘unemployment stigma’ and ‘welfare stigma’.
  • Destruction of routine: People suffer a loss of structure and motivation in their lives.

 

If you feel affected by any of the issues and need someone to talk with the Samaritans are always happy to listen. They provide a 24 hour, free and confidential service:

Call 116 123

Featured image accredited to C Jill Reed

 

7 Great Songs about Dealing with Mental Illness

03 Tuesday Nov 2015

Posted by in Blogs, Mental Health

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Discussing mental illness can be extremely difficult. As a victim it can be impossible to describe how you feel.  As the friend or partner of a victim it can be hard to choose your words sensitively. It is in situations like this where sometimes only artists have the power to express what we mean beyond words alone.

Don Mclean – Vincent

A tribute to Vincent van Gough who’s long battle with mental illness ended in his suicide. Van Gough’s genius was only recognised after his death. This song reached number one in the UK.

John Martyn – Solid Air

Written in support of a friend who suffered what Martyn described as “a nervous breakdown”.

Pink Floyd –  Shine on you crazy Diamond

A tribute to former frontman Syd Barrett who left the band while reportedly struggling with schizophrenia.

Pixies – Where is my mind

Supposedly inspired by Francis’s experiences scuba-diving. It was also featured in the soundtrack to fightclub.

James Taylor – Fire and Rain

The first part of the song deals with the suicide of his childhood friend Suzanne Schnerr. Later Taylor describes his own battle with depression.

Nirvana – Lithium

Cobain suffered from bipolar disorder, lithium is commonly used to treat it

Johnny Cash – Hurt

Written by Nine Inch Nails (I much prefer this version). The song confronts living with depression and self harm.

Please add any songs that spring to mind in the comments!

Featured image accredited to Kip Dudden

Suicide: A Not-So Silent Epidemic.

29 Thursday Oct 2015

Posted by in Mental Health

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Professor Green’s BBC 3 documentary “Suicide and Me” is bringing a lot of much needed media attention to the prevalence of suicide.

The rapper, who won best Dance Floorfiller in the NME awards 2011, father committed suicide seven years ago.

He sates a humble ambition: “I would like to highlight the severity of the situation and bit by bit remove the taboo that surrounds it.” The hour of footage is extremely personal. Green is sacrificing his privacy for public awareness.

The situation is undoubtedly severe. Between 5000-6000 people commit suicide in the UK each year. That’s more than double the number of people that die in all road traffic accidents, which is under 2000. The vast majority are men, many of them young men.

A study looking at medical records, diaries and testimonies from friends and family has demonstrated 90% of people who commit suicide are suffering from a classifiable psychiatric disorder. But it is important to remember 1 in 4 people will fall victim to mental illness at some point this year so only a tiny fraction of those people will take their own life.

But the shocking regularity of suicide does suggest a lot more needs to be done to support those suffering from mental health issues.

Figures released on Friday by Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) showed a 9.8% increase in the number of detentions under the mental act since 2014. Detention under the mental health act is an emergency intervention and only used when people are extremely unwell.

The charity Mind reacted to the figures by saying “people are not getting help for their mental health problems early enough, meaning they become more unwell and more likely to reach crisis point”.

Arguably suicide is the action of someone who has gone beyond crisis point. These statistics suggest that mental health services are being spread thinner and less equipped to deal with this epidemic. But it’s only through discussing this difficult topic that we can hope to raise awareness and financial support.

If you feel you need someone to talk with the Samaritans are always happy to listen. They provide a 24 hour, free and confidential service:

Call 116 123