I’ve been working on an article on suicide, but I’m finding it hard to get it done.
It’s not a subject that we usually want to talk about or even think about.
But it is a subject that needs to be raised because suicides, in western countries especially, account for a significant number of deaths each year:
- According to the US charity American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, nearly 1 million Americans attempt suicide every year;
- In the UK, the the Samaritans tell us, there is a suicide death every 85 minutes; and
- In Australia, the Black Dog Institute points to the fact that more than 25% of deaths of men in the 20-24 age group are suicides.
Just to build on that last point, almost everywhere in the west, 3 to 4 times more men die by suicide than women.
So, while I’m wrestling with my detailed piece on suicide, I wanted to raise the subject and point to a resource for a particularly vulnerable group of men, who may find this useful at a particularly trying time of year.
Dads in Distress
Dads in Distress is a support service for divorced and separated dads here in Australia.
It will be offering a special service for dads over the Holiday period.
Contact Dads in Distress on 1300 853 437 or enquiries (AT) dadsindistress.asn.au (substitute @ for AT).
Please add details in the comment below of any similar services where you are.
Other Resources
Australia
National Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
“Crisis counselling to people at risk of suicide, carers for someone who is suicidal and those bereaved by suicide, 24 hours per day 7 days a week across Australia”
Other Help Lines
Lifeline (National) – 13 11 14
SANE Australia Helpline (National) – 1800 187 263
Suicide Helpline (VIC) – 1300 651 251
Mensline (National) – 1300 789 978
Kids Helpline (National) – 1800 551 800
United Kingdom
The Samaritans:
Telephone helpline: 0845 790 9090
1850 60 90 90 if you are in the Republic of Ireland
Anonymous E-mail: [email protected]
For Children and Youth:
Childline: 0800 1111
United States
National 24 Hour Suicide/Crisis Lines:
1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)- handles both crisis and suicide calls
1-800-233-HELP (1-800-233-4357)
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
For Youth/Adolescent:1-800-448-4663
Covenant House (Adolescent): 1-800-999-9999
New Zealand
Lifeline 24 hour counselling
Lifeline 24/7 Helpline: (09) 5 222 999
Kidsline: 0800 KIDSLINE (0800 543 754)
Chinese Lifeline: 0800 888 880
Suicide Prevention Helpline: 0508 TAUTOKO (0508 828 865)
Canada
Go to the Suicide Prevention website and find your local crisis center.
Thanks to Madam Bipolar for curating much of this info.
Go to the Depression in Men main catgory page;
Go to the Depression Help TooDepressed.com home page.
About the Author
Father, husband, writer and website publisher, discontented in his day-job, he writes here about depression - his own and in general. You can follow Too Depressed on Twitter. Please share the content on this site with all your friends, followers and contacts using the buttons above.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Ah so true what you said in the beginning. I’ve tried several times to write something up about suicide, but it’s such a delicate subject it’s hard to find the words that express what you want, without sounding like a dick or insensitive to some.
Adam Alvarado recently posted..I’m Going Back in Time to Save the World (I Just Need a Bag Lunch)
That’s absoutely right Adam.
I’ve got a piece that’s nearly complete, sitting there in draft, but can’t seem to get it finished.
But paradoxically it’s not a subject that we should ignore. I know your site is a great resource for younger people, young men especially. And that is a very vulnerable group.
Suicide is the second biggest killer of young men (15 to 24) in the UK , after road accidents, and the third biggest in the US. In Australia, suicide accounts for 25% of all male deaths in the 20 to 24 age group.
This thing needs to be addressed.