Suicide. What do you think of when you hear the word? Do you think of a selfish loser looking for an easy way out? Or do you think of someone who feels lost and alone, someone who feels so much pain and self disgust that they feel the only way to escape, the only way to help those they feel a burden to around them, is to take their own life.

Whats my connection to suicide?

Unfortunately, i have first hand been exposed to the damaging effects of suicide. Ive seen how it can break famlies apart, ive seen how ending your own life can permenantly scar and damage those around you and negatively effect those close for their whole lives. A close family friend of my own took his own life in december last year, as he wrongly felt that he was too much of a burden to those around him, and that the only way to help the lives of the people he was close to, was to end his own. Little did he know the sence of sorrow and guilt he left with those around him. And its not just my friends family who have suffered through experiances such as this, but there are hundreds of thousands effected yearly world wide, and this is why we must raise awarness for mens mental health.

Facts and figures

Suicide is extremely common, some shocking statistics show that 75% of 6000 uk suicides each year are commit by young men, suicide is also the highest cause of death in men below 45 meaning young men are more likely to die of suicide than some medical reasons such as cancer. But why is this though? What is the reason young men are 3x more likely to end their own lives than women. Research showes that men find it much harder to open up about their emotions and insecurities, and as much as we dont like to admit it, its also likely that this is due to the high expectations we have for men engrqined in our society. Some men feel opening up about their issues and insecurities can damage their image and rrputation as well as how other people percieve them, and unfortuanetely for some, these fears can become reality and this is what needs to change!

So what am i doing?

I have booked and paid for a 15,000 foot skydive to take place near the end of october and thought to use this oppurtunity as a way to raise money for CALM (campaign agains living miserably) with aims to spread awarness of young mens mental health and suicide. Any donations would be greatly appreciated, and you can read more about CALM below: 

CALM

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against suicide. Every week 125 people in the UK take their own lives. And 75% of all UK suicides are male. CALM exists to change this by offering life saving services, provoking conversation and bringing people together to reject living miserably.From advice on our site, through to free, confidential chats with our helpline staff, online or on the phone, we’re here for whoever needs us, every day. No matter what. £8 is enough to fund one potentially life-saving call.