Summary

It is estimated that one in four UK adults will experience mental health problems throughout the course of a year with around 10% suffering from depression. Suicide accounted for 4,575 deaths in the UK in 2016. Volunteers at Central London Samaritans provide confidential, emotional support for anyone in distress. We seek to ensure that people experiencing distress, despair and suicidal feelings have somewhere to turn in a crisis. We want to ensure that no call for help goes unanswered.

Challenge

In 2016, suicide in the UK and ROI accounted for 4,575 deaths, with men three times as likely to die by take their own life as women. Research suggests that 17% of the UK population have experienced suicidal thoughts at some point in their life. There is a lack of 24 hour crisis care and people who are suicidal tend to fall into gaps between primary and secondary care and emergency services. People who experience depression and suicidal crisis often have nowhere to turn for support.

Solution

For almost everyone who contacts us, it's the human interaction that's important. Getting a response from a real person, being heard, not judged and offered a safe place to explore whatever is troubling our callers makes the difference. Almost three out of four people tell us that they feel more understood, and less alone or anxious, after contacting Samaritans and we know that our service can help people before it's too late.

Long-Term Impact

The role our volunteers play in suicide prevention, not only serves to alleviate the severe distress of the individual. Supporting someone who is in suicidal crisis also prevents the tragic knock on suffering of the friends and family of the individual in question and represents a significant saving to the UK economy. 'Last Christmas, I didn't know whether I'd be around for another year. Thanks to Samaritans, I am.'