Eager to remove the stigma attached to suicide, a number of Irish landmarks will be lit in orange tonight in order to mark World Suicide Prevention Day and support a campaign organised by Cycle Against Suicide.
Events Against Suicide will see the illumination of Trinity College, Croke Park and Kilkenny Castle while families across the county are encouraged to switch to an orange lighbulb in order to show solidarity with those affected by mental illness.
With a recent survey indicating that 67% of Irish people view mental health difficulty as a personal failing and 25% revealing they would be unlikely to befriend a person with a mental health issues, St. Patrick’s Mental Health Service insists the issue desperately requires further understanding.
In an effort to highlight the fact that suicide is an issue which can affect any family, regardless of class, religion or socioeconomic background, national suicide charity, Console, also want to remove the stigma and raise awareness of a topic which greatly requires our attention.
Coinciding with the Events Against Suicide campaign, the charity has released data which shines a light on the number of people seeking help and highlights the gender imbalance which still exists when it comes to speaking up.
According to the figures, the charity’s texting service has proved incredibly successful, with the number of people availing of the service increasing by 50% in the last year.
Acknowledging that 62% of those using the texting service are men, CEO, Paul Kelly, explains: “Men by their nature, they see it as a weakness to talk. When the text service came in it became so apparent, men prefer to type than talk.”
In stark contrast, women prefer to speak directly to someone, with figures indicating that the Console helpline is largely dominated by female callers.
Elaborating on the data, Paul explains: “The women who are calling, they talk about their problems – be it crisis, stresses, concern for a loved one – these are people who are at risk.”
Acknowledging the gender disparity between the services, Paul explains that men, who ultimately prefer not to voice their concerns, have come to rely heavily on the messaging services.
“It’s amazing because guys who weren’t connecting, who wouldn’t seek help because they’d see it as weakness for instance, they are finding that there’s help and there’s hope, a qualified therapist is just a text away," he said.
Offering an insight into the incredibly sensitive issue, CEO of St. Patrick’s, Paul Gilligan, insists that with the right help and support, recovery from mental health difficulties is not only possible, but should be expected.
If you feel you would benefit from the services Console provides, you can text ‘Help’ to 51444 or call 1800 247 247.
