A special message from MSN:
For some, finding happiness is an everyday battle. Britain is facing a mental health epidemic as services fail those who need them the most and more people than ever are falling into crisis. We’ve partnered with giving platform Benevity to raise funds for charities Mind and Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) who work on the front line helping these complex and debilitating issues. You can make a real difference to people’s lives - please donate now.
EVERY two hours in Britain a man takes his own life. Suicide remains the biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and sadly not enough is being done to prevent it. As we join the war on mental health with our May campaign on Empowering Happiness, we asked Simon Gunning, CEO of our partner charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) to help shine a light on the devastating issues involved and the alarming figures around it.
We’re Empowering Happiness – here’s why;
“The statistics are scary,” he says. “Around 6,000 British lives are lost to suicide every year. On average, 84 men take their own lives in every week in the UK.”
But why are the numbers so high? Simon explains: “We know there is still a stigma surrounding male mental health and suicide but, as I write this, I have no doubt that we’re moving in the right direction. The wheels are definitely in motion but there’s a long way to go.”
The small but mighty team at CALM work tirelessly on the front line of suicide prevention and alongside their all-star supporters such as musicians Professor Green, Loyle Carner and Lewis Capaldi they are getting the message out there that more discussions around mental health is the way forward.
It’s working. More people than ever before are contacting CALM and accessing their services. Last year their free and anonymous helpline and webchat directly prevented 675 suicides, a 58% increase on the previous year. In addition, following their Project 84 and CALM’s call to the government, last year the UK’s first Minister for Suicide Prevention was appointed.
But Simon believes there’s more work to be done in the fight for better mental health awareness. He says: “At CALM we aim to develop a long-term cultural change which will inspire people to seek support in the earliest stage. We believe mental health should be seen in a similar vein to physical health; we all have it and can take an active role in staying well with the right support around us. We all, at some stage, will experience difficult points in our lives that can manifest themselves in different ways.”
Everyone – male or female and whether directly impacted or not – has a part to play in the battle for better help. “We must continue to chip away at the societal stigma surrounding these issues, so that people feel empowered to seek support when they need it,” Simon reveals. “We must also work towards normalising help-seeking behaviour in our everyday lives and communities such as in our schools, workplaces, friendship groups and beyond. Ultimately, while moments like Mental Health Awareness Week are great, we believe a more open and positive society in which mental health and wellbeing has a role in everyday life will lead to better suicide prevention.”
MSN UK are proud to team up with Simon and his brilliant team at CALM because together we believe that the issues around mental health and suicide should not be ignored. Simon believes our Empowering Happiness campaign is a great way to frame the conversation. “CALM stands for the Campaign Against Living Miserably, and this is a message we wear on our sleeves,” he reveals. “MSN’s Empowering Happiness is a powerful message and it’s something we believe strongly. “We’re careful in acknowledging that clinical and diagnosable mental health conditions aren’t necessarily the same thing as an individual’s general mental wellbeing, the latter is truly universal and something every one of us has. We hope the Empowering Happiness campaign can inspire people to take an active approach to ensuring they live a life less miserable.”
Why should MSN readers donate to CALM?
“Just £8 can fund one potentially lifesaving call to our helpline. We’re currently answering around 200 calls every single day, and this figure is growing rapidly. When we look at the number of suicides our services can prevent – 675 in 2018 alone – we can see the power of communication and support. We often hear from people who tell us that CALM saved their life, but we also unfortunately meet many who tell us that they wish their son, brother, dad, or friend had heard about CALM. CALM is leading a movement against suicide, and we urge all of society to join with us.”
Explore more issues faced by those battling mental health and join our fight for happiness here (Click on link for URL2 below)
URL2: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/causes/happiness/
Courtesy of Neville C. Bardoliwalla OBE