Displaying items by tag: suicide

The family of a Colombian man who is believed to have killed himself at a Heathrow immigration removal centre say he begged for help and was willing to leave the UK. Frank Ospina died on 25 March, within a month of being detained, while he was waiting to be deported. His family say that he had no existing mental health problems. The BBC has been investigating conditions inside immigration centres, at a time when the Government is taking a harder line on migrants. Documents have shown mounting strain on detainees because of the delays in processing their cases, and  also there was an incident in which a group of detainees tried to kill themselves three days after Mr Ospina's death. This news comes ahead of the publication of a report, due soon, into abusive behaviour by staff at the Brook House facility, a centre near Gatwick. A public inquiry was launched following a landmark undercover Panorama investigation in 2017: see

Suicide is the biggest killer of people aged under 35 in the UK. ‘However bad you feel, this will pass. You are not alone, things will look different tomorrow.’ That is what Pete would have said to his only child, Jamie, if he had been able to read his suicide note before he died. Jamie was one of 1,621 young people under 35 who took their own lives in 2019. After Pete had struggled to cope with his death for two years, he read about three fathers going through the same thing. Known as the ‘Three Dads’, Andy, Mike and Tim walked 300 miles, in memory of their three daughters, to raise £3,000 for suicide prevention charity Papyrus. They eventually raised over £800,000. Over 200 school children commit suicide every year. They say we are doing nothing to equip young people with understanding and skills that could allow them to save themselves.

We know that Jesus came to transform our brokenness, and, as His representatives on earth, we carry His mandate. But how do we address the huge issue of mental health? Emerge Advocacy has been taking on the challenge. Launched in Guildford in 2016, Emerge is a ‘voice of hope’ to young people who find themselves overwhelmed by their thoughts and feelings and unable to keep themselves safe. Teams in A&E departments bringing comfort, hope and peace to young people admitted after self-harming or a suicide attempt. They have already supported over 350 young people, and their work is recognised by the Care Quality Commission. Young people struggling to articulate thoughts and feelings to health professionals may feel intimidated by the clinical environment. Volunteers stay with them, reassuring them, chatting, explaining what is happening, and helping them engage with health professionals, so that the experience is not so overwhelming.

World Mental Health Day was 1 October. This year it was supported by the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Every forty seconds, someone commits suicide. ‘40 seconds of action’ raises people’s awareness of the frequency of suicide, and the role that each of us can play to help prevent it. In the UK one in four adults will have mental health problems at some stage in their lifetime. For every suicide, there are twenty suicide attempts. These have an impact on families, friends, colleagues, communities and societies. Pray for a proactive church to support vulnerable people with mental health challenges wisely. 20% of the UK population will suffer from depression. Pray for more friends, neighbours, and relatives prepared to stand with the sufferers with compassion and support them through their crisis.

US military suicide deaths reflect a national trend. The national suicide rate has increased by 33% since 1999, and suicide is the second leading cause of death among people 10 to 34 years old. 325 active-duty members died by suicide in 2018, the highest number since collecting data began in 2001. The defence department said suicide rates among the military population are ‘devastating, unacceptable and not going in the desired direction’. Every life lost has a deeply personal story that shatters the lives of families. The defence and veterans affairs departments are working to reduce suicide in the ranks and among veterans, who die at an average rate of twenty a day. Between January and March 2019, ninety active duty service members committed suicide - 30 soldiers, 20 sailors, 26 airmen, and 14 marines.

1) The fatal accident rate on farms is higher than any other sector. 2) Theft from British farmers hit a seven-year high of £50m in 2018, with a 26% rise in stolen farm vehicles and a 3.7% rise in animal theft. 3) As a result of the crimes, farmers are reporting increased levels of anxiety and isolation. 4) Farmers fear they could go out of business following the post-Brexit trade deal with the USA that is being publicised as a way to boost the UK economy. They need reassurance that their high standards will not drop to compete with US chlorinated chicken, gamma radiation to eliminate microorganisms, and genetically modified crops. 5) Suicide rates in farming are reported to be among the highest of any occupational group, with more than one farmer a week in the UK taking their own life. See also 

A US study found that teenage suicide rates increased after the release of a Netflix drama called ‘13 Reasons Why' - a story of a high-school girl who kills herself. Researchers estimated an additional 195 suicide deaths among 10- to 17-year-olds in the nine months after its release, an increase of 29%. The additional deaths mainly affected boys. In New Zealand recently hundreds marched to Parliament for teen suicide awareness because the government has not done enough to stem the trend. The marchers pushed through barriers set up at Parliament to place photos of their loved ones at the top of the steps. They then sang a waiata (a traditional Māori song) as hundreds more watched and filmed. In England, Rachael Warburton said her 12-year-old daughter, Jessica, left a suicide note with six reasons to kill herself after watching a Netflix show. See:  and

One in ten people know someone who has drowned and nearly one in five know someone who has nearly drowned. A survey shows that one person drowns every 20 hours, and thousands more have near-drowning experiences, sometimes causing life-changing injuries. Alcohol is a contributor to these statistics. It lowers inhibitions and impairs judgment, causing people to be more likely to take risks and get into trouble. It limits muscle ability, making simple movements much harder, slows down reactions and numbs the sight, sound and touch senses, making swimming very difficult. Over the last five years there have been 1,581 accidental deaths in the UK, and almost 30% of the victims (346) had alcohol in their bloodstream. Don’t Drink and Drown was launched in 2014, following a string of tragic drownings of young people. In 2017 there were 75 alcohol-related drownings, compared to 53 in 2016.

The path to suicide is usually gradual, progressing from suicidal thoughts to planning, then attempting, suicide, and finally death. Mark Harris of the Samaritans recently commented on ways of talking and listening that can help others in crisis. He said that making small talk with a stranger might save their life. Walking up to someone who seems distant or distressed and asking ‘Are you OK?’ or ‘Do you fancy a coffee?’ might be enough to break the chain of suicidal thinking and move them to seek help. He said people should not worry about saying the wrong thing. Often, someone in crisis is looking for an intervention and saying something, however small or seemingly silly, is better than walking on by. ‘By asking questions you are eliciting a response from someone, and you are at once engaging with them.’ In 2016, there were 4,941 suicide deaths in England and Wales - but a much larger number consider taking their own lives. See 

Suicide claims the lives of over 6,000 British men and women every year, and is the single biggest killer of men under 45. An artwork called Project 84 highlights the fact that an average 84 men in the UK take their lives every week. The sculptures, of anonymous men with hoodies tied tight around their faces, were installed on the roof of ITV’s ‘This Morning’ studio on 26 March and were created with the support of bereaved family members. They were designed to give pause for thought to those passing by on the street below. Some viewers branded the artwork 'insensitive' and 'disturbing'. ITV’s backing of the artwork is designed to initiate conversations around male suicide and the need for better suicide prevention and bereavement support.