Today, most of us are aware, we are currently in the grips of a mental health crisis. An epidemic. killing indiscriminately, especially the young .One in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. Today is World Mental Health Day, which occurs annually on October 10 and aims to educate and raise awareness of mental health issues.
We should not forget that mental illness doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society - from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. and within the monopoly-capitalist nations, mental-health disorders are the leading cause of life expectancy decline behind cardiovascular disease and cancer. In the European Union, 27.0 percent of the adult population between the ages of eighteen and sixty-five are said to have experienced mental-health complications.
Recent estimates by the World Health Organization suggest that more than three hundred million people suffer from depression worldwide. And it is important to note that most of the medications currently available fail to manage symptoms at all.
Approximately eight hundred thousand individuals commit suicide globally each year. In the UK in 2018, there were 6,507 deaths by suicide (a rate of 11.2 deaths per 100,000 people).
Suicide and suicide attempts can have lasting effects on individuals and their social networks and communities. The causes of suicide are many, and it is important to understand the psychological processes that underlie suicidal thoughts, and the factors that can lead to feelings of hopelessness or despair.
In recognition of this, the 2019 theme for World Mental Health Day (as set by the World Federation for Mental Health) is “Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention”.
Suicide behaviours are complex, there is no single explanation of why people die by suicide. Social, psychological, and cultural factors can all interact to lead a person to suicidal thoughts or behaviour. For many people, an attempt may occur after a long period of suicidal thoughts or feelings, while in other cases, it may be more impulsive.
Despite some excellent media guidelines produced by Samaritans and Mind, journalists often still revert to outdated language and stereotypes when reporting suicide. There is a difficult balance between reporting known facts and introducing elements of the story into the public domain which may encourage others to emulate what they have read, as is described in the Werther effect - so called because of the spate of imitational suicides that were said to have taken place after the publication of Goethe’s novel The Sorrows of Young Werther. Research carried out across the world over the last five decades shows that when specific methods of suicide are reported – details of types and amounts of pills, for example – it can lead to vulnerable people copying them.
Young people in particular are more influenced by what they see and hear in the media than other age groups and are more susceptible to what is often referred to as suicide contagion.
We should not describe a suicide as ‘easy’, ‘painless’, ‘quick’ or ‘effective’, and we should remember to look at the long-term consequences of suicide attempts, not forgetting the significant life-long pain for those left behind when someone does take their own life.
It is also important to bear in mind that reports of celebrity deaths carry greater risk of encouraging others to take their own lives, due to the increased likelihood of over-identification by vulnerable people. A recent study, which examined news reports covering the suicide of US actor Robin Williams, identified a 10% increase in people taking their own lives in the months following his death. This emphasises the responsibility that we all have when it comes to talking about suicide.
We often read speculation about the cause of suicide, linking a death to a previous event such as the loss of a job, the break-up of a relationship or bullying. It is impossible to say with any certainty why someone takes their own life. As Samaritans state: ‘there is no simple explanation for why someone chooses to die by suicide, and it is rarely due to one particular factor.’
Suicide is often the culmination of a complex set of factors,The aim today for this Mental Health Foundation is simple - to send out a message of hope, #YouBelongHere. Hope is like oxygen for our mental health. It is the vital ingredient in supporting people to hold on
In support of World Mental Health Day, the green ribbon, an international symbol of mental health The Mental Health Foundation simultaneously organised projections of the green ribbon onto the buildings across Britain in Glasgow, and Edinburgh’s St Andrews House. There was also up to 100 mental health advocates and people affected by suicide gathered in Trafalgar Square London, to form a human green ribbon.
Let us today think of people suffering untold mental anguish leading them to take this step. and the relatives and friends who are bereaved their lives often left in tatters. The mind is a very delicate place, It's good to talk or to be listened to.
Mark Rowland, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation said:
"We should not be so scared of suicide that we can't talk about it. Suicide is a devastating and gut-wrenching tragedy that ends a life and shatters countless others. But we also know that we can all help prevent such deaths, as individuals and as a society. We are not powerless. Far better to say something that feels awkward than to stay silent, whether you're worried about another person or needing help yourself. Sometimes we need to talk about suicide."
I will end by saying that the alleviation of mental distress is only possible in a society without exploitation and oppression. All members of society are affected by the inhumane nature of capitalism, and for many who suffer it is the consequence of concrete inequalities and hardships that are a direct product of our economic system . As the basis on which society’s superstructural formation is erected, capitalism is a major determinant of poor mental health leading to discontent and alienation. As the Marxist professor of social work and social policy Iain Ferguson has argued,
“it is the economic and political system under which we live—capitalism—which is responsible for the enormously high levels of mental-health problems which we see in the world today.”
But, slowly and determinedly, the fight is being to end this led most explicitly by the most oppressed and exploited. So lets keep fighting and spreading awareness, and be kind to the people that are around us, but for fucks sake don't just tell anyone to simply cheer up. Much love.
Need to talk?
Samaritans – offers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week support service
116 123
Shout Crisis Text Line
85258
C.A.L.M.
Available helpline (5pm – midnight) and webchat to support men
Papyrus – (dedicated service for young people up to the age of 35)
0800 068 4141
Support After Suicide Partnership offers practical and emotional support on their website for people bereaved and affected by suicide.
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