As World Suicide Prevention Day draws near – we want to take a moment to address a critical issue that affects our community: the stigma of asking for help that sadly leads far too many people to take their own lives.

The most recently released data from the Office for National Statistics reports that in 2022, there were 6,607 deaths by suicide registered in the UK. That same year the Samaritans volunteers responded to a call for help every 10 seconds.

What we can understand from these numbers is just how many people are struggling with suicidal thoughts.

In the electrical industry, we are no strangers to challenges; demands on our mental and emotional well-being can be substantial. Historically, engaging with emotional distress is something we have been taught to shy away from. We will ensure physical safety on job sites but wilfully overlook the signs that someone is struggling with their mental health. We want to help change this.

Why It Matters:

Studies have shown that high-stress professions, like ours, can contribute to mental health struggles. The stigma around mental health often prevents many from seeking the help they need and prevents those around us from feeling able to offer it. We believe that the first step to changing the culture is by talking about it and the only way to facilitate this discussion is to hold a safe space for people to feel heard and cared for.

This can often be extremely challenging as such topics can feel dangerous and triggering – a first step could be to speak with your GP, counselor or or use one of the many services and helplines we have listed below.

You Are Not Alone:

Samaritans is a listening service and emotional support to anyone about any issue, with a special focus on suicidal feelings. They are open all day, every day. You can call the helpline for free on 116 123 or email atjo@samaritans.org.

Papyrusis a confidential support and advice service for children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, or anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide. The helpline number is 0800 068 4141. You can also text them on 077862 09697, or emailpat@papyrus-uk.org.

Maytree is an organisation that offers telephone support to over 18’s in suicidal crisis. You can contact them 24/7 on 020 7263 7070 and can leave a message if there is no one to answer your call.

My Black Dog is a charity run by volunteers who all have personal experience of dealing with suicide, self-harm, depression, and mental illness. This is an organisation for those who are over the age of 18. You can chat online to a volunteer Monday-Friday 5-10pm, Saturday 10am-3pm and Sunday 10am-3pm and 7-10pm. Their website is https://www.myblackdog.co/

If you would rather not speak on the phone, you can contact SHOUT via text on 85258 with the word ‘SHOUT’.

CALM offers help, information, and advice to anyone. They deal with issues such as abuse, bullying, mental health, relationships, suicide, and self-harm. The CALM helpline is open every day from 5pm-12am (midnight) on 0800 58 58 58. You can webchat with them via their website, and find out more about them at www.thecalmzone.net

Hub of Hope is a directory of local mental health services in the UK. They have a range of fact sheets and information about different mental health diagnoses and lists of specific support services for each condition. Their website is https://hubofhope.co.uk/

Dads Matter UK is a free service that provides support for dads worried about or suffering from depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You can find more information on their website https://www.dadsmatteruk.org/

You can also reach out to the EIC either via out contact form – https://electricalcharity.org/find-help/ or our support line on 0800 652 1618.

And you can read more here: https://electricalcharity.org/suicide-prevention/