A Manchester suicide prevention charity is urging young people to speak out after shocking statistics revealed the North West had the highest suicide rate in England.
Figures published by the Office of National Statistics showed there were 704 suicides in the North West from 1981 to 2012.
The statistics have led to an increase in charities which deal with suicide prevention, particularly in young men.
Amelia Woodhouse works with HopeLine UK – an arm of Papyrus UK – a service that allows family members and friends to receive advice and support.
Papyrus is a national charity based in Manchester which is committed to the prevention of suicide in young persons.
The charity was formed in 1997 by a group of parents, including Jean Care, who had lost a child through parents and the team are committed to helping young teens who are struggling in life.
“She (Jean) felt very isolated so she met up with other parents who had lost sons or daughters and they all felt they should do something about it,” she told MM.
“Papyrus originally stood for Parents Association for the Prevention of Young Suicide.
“Now it’s not just to help parents but to help friends, family, colleagues and neighbours to support a young suicidal person and also to support them person themselves.”
Of 704 suicides in the North West from 1981 to 2012, 579 of were men, with suicide the leading cause of death in England and Wales in men aged between 20 and 34 and 35 to 49.
Suicides in men aged 45-59 also increased significantly in 2012, with a rate of 23.0 deaths per 100,000 of the population.
Statistics show that male suicide rates have increased since 1981, peaking in 1988 and rising again between 1989 to 1990 and 1997 to 1998.
The highest rate of female suicides was in 1981, when there were 2,466 female suicides registered in the UK.
“We wouldn’t just say there’s one aspect that causes suicide – there are a lot of contributing factors,” Amelia told MM.
“The need for help is out there. Suicide is still the lead cause of death among young people which not many people know.
“It’s above road traffic deaths. It’s a huge number.”
Papyrus’ main aim is to raise awareness of the early signs of stress in young people and they have released a number of resources to help parents and schools recognise the signs.
The group also founded the ‘Action for Safety on the Internet’ guide, which offers advice and support for parents whose children are at risk or have been targeted by cyber bullies.
“With the topic of suicide, a lot of people shy away from it because they think if they talk about it, it might increase the risk of it happening,” Amelia said.
“It can feel as though talking about it is seen as a taboo and there’s a lot of stigma just discussing it.
“We would say talking about it and allowing young people to express how they feel and their ideas around just the topic of suicide can be a really positive thing.”
For information on Papyrus, visit Papyrus or call HopeLine UK on 0800 068 41 41.
Image courtesy of Sander Van Der Wel, with thanks.
