Today (10/09/2019) is World Suicide Prevention Day, a day set aside to raise awareness about the services available to people at risk of suicide - and to encourage people to talk and listen to friends and family who may be going through a tough patch.
Jon Cruddas MP is a longstanding supporter of mental health charities and campaigns such as Time to Talk and Movember. Earlier this year Jon contributed to a parliamentary debate on mental health in the workplace, highlighting the best practice of companies such as Ford.
Suicide remains the largest killer of men under 45 in the United Kingdom. Last year 6507 lives were lost to suicide nationally ? three quarters were men.
Jon said: "today is an important day to recognise the scale of this issue. The stigma and discrimination around mental health is a common factor that prevents so many from seeking help. So today is also about supporting the fantastic organisations that work hard throughout the year to get people talking, listening and breaking down stigmatisation."
If a relative, friend or someone you know is potentially at risk of suicide take a moment today to ask them if they are okay. There are a number of helplines available and online resources that can support someone going through a difficult time in their life.
CALM | Campaign Against Living Miserably
Time to Change
https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/
The Movember Foundation