Trigger Warning – this post contains content about suicide
I was first touched by suicide when I was in sixth form at school. My good friend from school (we lived close to each other, we got the bus to and from school together and we both worked a Saturday job at our local Sainsbury’s) took his own life. I could not understand why. I still don’t. However, this tragic event started my passion for good mental health and wellbeing, particularly amongst males.
By a cruel twist of fate, 40 years later, just a couple of years ago, at the same school, my son went through the same thing. His good friend (we lived in the same village, they got the bus to and from school together, they both played for the village football team since the age of six) took his own life. This brought back all the awful feelings I encountered. I understood what my son was going through as someone affected by this suicide and that helped me to help him, but it only reinforced the fact that this issue is not getting any better (in fact it is getting worse).
On average, three male suicides are reported for every female one, consistently across different age groups and in almost every country in the world. More people die from suicide than from murder and war; it is the thirteenth highest cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are twenty people who have a suicide attempt for every one that is fatal, at a rate approximately one every three seconds worldwide. Suicide is the most common cause of death for people aged 15 to 24.
For each death by suicide, it is estimated that 135 people are affected, of which six are directly bereaved.
World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is an awareness day always observed on 10 September every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world since 2003. The International Association for Suicide Prevention collaborates with the World Health Organization and the World Federation for Mental Health to host World Suicide Prevention Day. Numerous charities around the world use the day to raise awareness of suicide and tools and resources to help prevent it.
According to The Samaritans’ website, every 90 minutes, someone in the UK or Ireland dies by suicide and one in four people have had suicidal thoughts.
The Samaritans’ World Suicide Prevention Day 2025 campaign was co-created with people who have lived experience of suicidal thoughts. They are sharing their experiences and insights to help people act if they suspect someone may be suicidal. They have put together the following webpages:
The Samaritans surveyed people with lived experience of suicide and the majority told them that their suicidal thoughts have been interrupted.
60% said their suicidal thoughts had been interrupted by someone close to them, like a friend or family member.
14% said their suicidal thoughts had been interrupted by a stranger or someone they didn’t know.
All of us can make a difference to someone struggling with suicidal thoughts, whether it is a family member or friend, a work colleague or even a stranger on the bus. Please read the webpages linked in this blog. Please talk to anyone you have concerns about. Please help to save a life.
Stephen Scott, PLA Wellbeing Committee member