Currently the second leading cause of death in young people is suicide and each year, there are 900.000 suicides globally with 65.000 of these occurring in EU countries. 90% of suicide victims have been shown to have had a mental disorder. This is concerning as depression affects more than 300 million people globally. The pandemic has resulted in a large increase in mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Of great concern, is a potential increase in suicide, particularly amongst the young, who have suffered a disproportionate mental health burden.
Although current evidence indicates that suicide rates have not risen during the pandemic, the resulting economic consequences of the pandemic may lead to a future increase in suicide. For instance, it was reported that suicide rates rose in two-thirds of 54 countries studied, after the 2008 recession, with a disproportionate impact on men and in countries with higher unemployment rates.
Suicide is commonly described as a ‘male phenomenon’, as men are 4 to 5 times more likely to die by suicide compared to women, in the European Union.
This project explored and raised awareness of the mental health challenges faced by young males during the pandemic and the factors behind a potential increase in suicide ideation amongst this population group.
From the insight that was provided in two workshops by the young experts with lived experience, managed to create an interactive toolkit that is a safe space to help those struggling with suicidality. We launched a social media campaign with different graphics and messages that were released in
the lead-up to ‘World Suicide Prevention Day’ on September 10th 2022. Finally, we recorded three men talking about their own personal experiences with suicidality and offering hope to those facing these challenges. Both the video and the toolkit were launched on September 10th.
You can find all the resources below