Grassroots Suicide Prevention CEO says men three times more likely to take own lives

In a broadcast interview on Lee Anderson's Real World, Rachel Swan, chief executive of Grassroots Suicide Prevention, discussed male suicide rates and the support available. The segment carried a warning about suicide themes and viewer distress.

Lee Anderson said around 70% of suicides in the UK are male. He also said between 12 and 15 men under the age of 50 take their own lives each day, and he asked why this keeps happening. He said he had worked on male suicide before and wanted to have the conversation in public.

Swan said men are three times more likely to take their own lives and that rates are growing. She said suicide is complex and different for men. She said it is not just about mental health. Risk factors can include domestic abuse, isolation, loneliness and childhood trauma. Grassroots Suicide Prevention has developed a men's suicide prevention hub, and it offers a free Stay Alive mobile app with safety planning for people who are struggling or helping someone else.

Both speakers stressed the value of lived experience. Anderson mentioned Enlight in the Shadows, a local charity in Ashfield he has helped fund. He named Rory Green, who had been in a dark place, and Graham Link, who lost his son Sean about four years ago at Christmas. Anderson described Sean as a good looking, well liked young man with a decent job, no debt problems and money in the bank. He said Sean took his own life after being with his parents. Graham Link has since fundraised, run marathons and half marathons, cycled, and walked from John O'Groats to Land's End. He plans to do the same route by bike next year. Anderson said the charity talks to hundreds of young men every month.

Swan said people who are bereaved are at higher risk, but she said services should not rely on bereaved people to raise awareness. She called for national statutory government funding to provide support around services. She said Grassroots provides training so everyone can learn the skills and knowledge to have conversations, understand risks, open up and be warm and compassionate.

The interview also covered the dark web. Anderson said his friend Graham Link believed it may have played a part. Swan said research on youth suicide shows online harms are a major issue. She said government statutory groups are looking at what this means and at more measures, but she said the response is not going far enough. She said the dark web is very hard to police. Swan also said she worries about the future for her seven year old daughter.

Swan set out possible warning signs. She said someone may act out of character, become withdrawn or become unusually over the top. She said people should ask directly about suicide. She said this will not put the idea in someone's head and can help them open up. She said support should vary because everyone is unique. Some men may prefer informal groups, football, trips, the pub or a run rather than a clinical therapy setting.

Anderson closed by thanking Swan and saying suicide is preventable with the right support and intervention. He said the charity and the local group he is involved with save lives and give people hope.