BACK in the day, when Scotland wis breengin wi heavy industry; steelwarks, mining, shipbuildin, motor caur manufacturers – sic as we hud in the 1960s – we hud the lowest rates fir suicide in the UK. Nou, thae industries are maistly aa awa an we hae the warst suicide rates in the UK. We dinnae ken hou that problem is sae bad here, but it is thocht tae be relatit tae the loss o thae warkin communities, perteecularly as it affects men.
Men are at much mair risk o committin suicide than weemin, around fowr times mair likely. We aa hae oor ain issues an concerns but bein in a community gies us baith an indirect an a direct wey o daelin wi thaim. Jist bein amang wir friens can help mak us feel a bit better, but times we alsae need tae be able tae speik directly anent oor problems. We cannae “magic” back thae auld industries an communities but we shuid be able tae dae something tae impruive oor lives, an it winnae cost millions.
Suicide is lik the tip o an iceberg; it is the maist devastatin an veesible sign o problems. It is nou the ae biggest cause o daith amang young fowk. The heichest risk groups tho are fir middle-aged men an then agane fir the verra auld. Wi the men the causes seem tae be relatit tae family an relationship problems, lowering self-esteem, an failin health. It micht seem lik a cliché but whilst weemin are alse at heich risk they are mair likely tae luik fir help, wi mair chaunces o interventions bi friens, family an healthcare professionals. Thair is mair chaunce o daelin wi the problems, warkin oot whit they are, an whit help is needit. Wi men it’s aye-an-oan the strang seelent approach; we keep it tae wirsels, we dinnae talk aboot it, the problems get bigger an bigger, an then somethin happens. Aften as no naebody kens aboot hou difficult it is for a body, hou alane they are, an then it’s ower late. But it disnae hae tae be lik that! Men are slaely getting better at daelin wi the issues but we still hae a weys tae gae.
Whit seems tae be needit fir thaim at risk is tae fuin the “hope” an the “help”. The howp is believing that things wull get better or at least becam manageable. The help is tae fuin the means an the resources tae pit the howp intil practice. This aften cams frae fuinin the richt fowk an organisations, but it can alsae cam frae fuinin hidden strangths an capabilities athin oorsels. The sorts o qualities that micht anely kythe theirsels when we’re “unner fire”. The howp can be that oor situation can be chainged; or gin thon’s no possible can we chainge hou we feel aboot it? Tae aiblins fuin thaim wha are in a seemilar situation so’s that we can support ane anither.
A big pairt in daelin wi the stress we are pitten unner is tae fuin a wey o expressin oor thochts an feelins. Keepin sic problems unner wraps maks thaim gang roond an roond in oor heids endlessly an maks fir a trap that feels lik thair nae wey oot o. We are aa different, we aa hae oor weys an preferred weys o daein things. Expressin feelins can be duin in mony weys an fir ilk o us we aiblins need tae fuin whit warks best fir us, the maist constructive weys o channellin oor feelings.
Mony fowk dae this bi pitten doun their thochts an feelins in writin, lik a diary tae be keppit, or torn intil nips an deleted aince it’s duin its joab. Pitten thochts doun shuid mak things clearer an muive the problem oan, an howpfully apen up persepectives, escape the feelin o bein trapped, an aiblins the solution wull becam clearer. Whitevir, we wull hae tried an warkt oot whit sems best tae us. Fir ithers it’s daein something physical lik exercisin or mibbes makkin something. It’s daelin wi the problems in a mair indirect wey but fir mony issues they strategies can be as effective as meetin a problem heid-oan. Fir ithers it can be emotional whaur we can express oorsels wi faimily an friens.
Yet ithers chuse the speeritual, eithers in conventional releegion else in oor ain mony diverse weys that personal belief can show itsel. These fowr weys can be self-oriented but involve ithers tae. A fifth wey is tae pit oorsels intae helpin ithers, be they family, friens or the community. Aftimes, helpin ithers can be the best wey o helpin oorsels.
Altho it micht no seem it, fir thaim in deeficulty there wull ayeweys be somebody oot there wha is prepared tae help. Apairt frae the healthcare an social services there are the charities an helplines. Mair an mair there is support fir specialist concerns able tae gie practical reassurance an much needit help an advice. Believe me, ye are nevir truly oan yer ain – there are ithers wi the samen issues. There’s somebody oot there in the samen poseetion wi the samen problems as yersel. Fir 24/7 confidential emotional support we hae the likes o the Samaritans.
The Samaritans arenae there anely fir thaim wha are suicidal but fir a wide range o concerns an they’re there fir aabody. They dinnae judge fowk, they listen an they gie support. They mibbes cannae fix yer problem, but talkin an sharing is aften o verra pouerfu wey o haundlin a deeficult situation. Talk can apen up new perspectives an weys o daelin wi problems. The Samaritans’ main contact is bi phone. The phone nummer is free; 116 123. Wi the free nummer the service is nou verra busy, perteecularly at nichts, but callers shuid be able tae get throu. Local branches dae face-tae-face durin the day an nae appyntment’s needit, but mind an check openin hours. Samaritans alsae gie support uisin email an text messagin.
The ither side o the coin is that wi increasing demand oan Samaritans there is a growin need fir mair volunteers an support. Likesay, supportin ithers in dire need can help oorsels. Gin this page helps prevent ae suicide in Scotland it’ll hae sairved its purpose the day!
Website fir mair information is http://www.samaritans.org/
Rab Wilson is a Scots poet and health campaigner
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