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Giving men the opportunity to text is a "major development" in the fight against suicide

“It’s about meeting people where they’re at – and men simply prefer to type than talk,” says Paul Kelly of Console.

ConsoleAnnualConference2015-48 Paul Kelly of Console with Gráinne Seoige at the Aviva Stadium today Conor McCabe Conor McCabe

Updated 16.30

TODAY MARKS WORLD Suicide Prevention Day, with a worldwide concerted effort to bring awareness to a topic that many still find extremely difficult to discuss.

With that in mind, Ireland’s national suicide charity Console has released data pertaining to its suicide helplines, and particularly its text service.

Texts to the service (‘Help’ to 51444) have increased by more than 50% over the last year with over 4,000 received in 2015 to date.

The vast majority (62%) of those texting are male.

However, when it comes to calling the Console helpline the figures are dominated to a great extent by women.

texthelp

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3,400 monthly calls are made to the helpline this month, and of those calling 61% are female.

“The text service has certainly been one of the major developments for us in recent times,” Console CEO Paul Kelly told TheJournal.ie.

The women who are calling, they talk about their problems – be it crisis, stresses, concern for a loved one – these are people who are at risk.
Men by their nature though, they see it as a weakness to talk. When the text service came in it became so apparent, men prefer to type than talk.

Kelly sees the success of the text service as a major breakthrough – one that has forced a real shift in the charity’s way of thinking.

texthelp2

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Currently males in Ireland are four times more likely to take their own life.

It’s amazing because guys who weren’t connecting, who wouldn’t seek help because they’d see it as weakness for instance, they are finding that there’s help and there’s hope, a qualified therapist is just a text away.
Men by their very nature, the anonymity of the service is ideal.
Once that connection is made it may be sufficient – that is the real challenge.

Kelly says that the success of the text service is a “fantastic start”, but that now the charity needs to start thinking about social media.

“Now there’s a social media generation that needs to be worked on,” he says.

It’s about meeting these people where they’re at, and where they’re comfortable.
We lose 500 people annually through suicide. Most of them are male. If we can reach them, well then we’re making progress.

If you are affected by any part of this story, or if you are experiencing problems and wish to seek help the following helplines may be of use:

  • Console  1800 247 247, or text Help to 51444 – (suicide prevention, self-harm, bereavement)

  • Aware 1890 303 302 (depression, anxiety)

  • Pieta House 01 601 0000 or email mary@pieta.ie - (suicide, self-harm)

  • Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)

  • Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)

Originally published 6am

Read: Bressie on what NOT to say to someone who’s depressed

Read: Living with anxiety is difficult enough without being told to cheer up

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14 Comments
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    Mute John Donnelly
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    Sep 10th 2015, 7:28 AM

    I administrate a bipolar support group on Facebook, the group is 5000 members strong.

    It mostly comprises of female members with a few male members interacting daily but surprisingly as the only male admin women come to me for advice and the men go to to the female admins for advice.

    We deal with a lot of crisis situations including suicide idealisation and even some that are all ready to go! These people just need to be heard, they need to be understood and as a sufferer of mental illness I can understand where they are coming from as I have being there.

    I gave being to hell and back more than a few times. Suicide is a long term solution to a short term problem.

    Please at least try and talk to someone no mater what the medium family and friends are too close you need a third party that can look at your situation clearly with no feelings attached.

    We deal with all types of mental illnesses not just bipolar and we also accept family members of those effected so that they themselves can understand what living with a mental illness is like.

    I implore those of you that also suffer to seek help no matter what way that may be. We live in a digital world and connecting to people is so simple and there is always plenty of people out there like myself willing to help

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    Mute Arthur Pewty
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    Sep 10th 2015, 8:59 AM

    4 times more likely is such a scary stat. Even more needs to be done.

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    Mute Magnus
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    Sep 10th 2015, 9:48 AM

    “Men by their nature though, they see it as a weakness to talk.”

    I don’t agree with this statement any more. I think it was true up to the last 15 years or so, but now I’m really not so sure. They don;t know how to do it. That’s the problem. it’s not that they don;t want to. That’s the problem IMO.

    I love the mens sheds. I think they’re great and by far the best avenue we have as they are forming up everywhere now and are a great way to get the message across. They also have a lot of older men. As a society we write older men off, yet those men are the very men for the job of helping with this issue.They are the guys we need to see on TV teaching younger men how to talk.

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    Mute HelloGoogleTracking!
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    Sep 10th 2015, 6:45 PM

    Yep, the concept that the problem is men ability to communicate has to be tackled!!!!

    It is bull, men and women communicate differently, it is not about which is better.

    Having entire support systems developed and geared towards the need of women is a major problem, it means that men seeking help have to emasculate themselves, in effect communicate in a female way.

    New systems have to be created to support men, like you rightly say….the men’s sheds idea for example is great.

    Men’s communication is not inferior….or wrong….it is just different, and hindered today by forces trying to feminise it.

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    Mute Claire W
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    Sep 10th 2015, 3:56 PM

    “Men by their nature though, they see it as a weakness to talk. When the text service came in it became so apparent, men prefer to type than talk.”

    Can we stop saying this? Its not nature when men get called a pussy, or weak, for having issues, From the time they are toddlers we are saying “Boys don’t cry”.

    It is nurture, NOT nature. Saying otherwise only serves to reinforce stereotypes and discourage men from breaking down the barroers they need to open up

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    Mute Claire W
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    Sep 10th 2015, 3:58 PM

    Also the Majority of people in the Aware Support Group I’ve Attended, has been MEN,
    Particularly older men with a long history of men health issues. They have learned to shed the shame and stigma and do what best for their mental health, and they are happy being able to express themselves.

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    Mute Rochelle
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    Sep 10th 2015, 6:04 PM

    Agree completely Claire. Society has a long way to go in raising boys to be better equipped with handling lifes challenges.

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    Mute HelloGoogleTracking!
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    Sep 10th 2015, 6:49 PM

    You are both wrong.

    Men’s communication is different to women’s, and by critiquing it, and saying it is wrong in comparison to women’s doesn’t help anyone.
    It may strike your own female ego but does men no service.

    Trying to make men fit into narrow communication styles against their nature only makes the problem worse as they feel emasculated.

    They need to be facilitated and communicated with as men, and men with a problem, and given the means to face it themselves on their own terms. To talk about if they chose etc.

    Over the last few year men’s sheds have become popular, and have done enormous good, even with very few choice words in some cases needing to be said.

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    Mute Biscuits Patinkin
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    Sep 10th 2015, 9:04 AM

    Not sure if 62% constitutes a “VAST” majority.

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    Mute Ann Glasgow
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    Sep 10th 2015, 6:01 PM

    while i agree that the contact list above have helped as much as they can in the area of suicide , its such a pity the same isnt put into lobbying the government/ hse and family doctors to do more…instead the above list are putting so much energy and time into fund raising and the true and vital reason for them to be in operation in the first place was to be there to talk and listen. i have being involved in one way or another over the years with most of the voluntary organisations and i get so saddened when i see and hear the presentations given by most on how to get more funds…the funding should be ring fenced from the national budget end of story!! the figures are there to support this and just sit and talk to any mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, aunt etc about the loss that is felt by them…its heartbreaking.

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    Mute David B Kelly
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    Sep 11th 2015, 8:37 AM

    Ann Glasgow you are 100 % on the ball. No political will on behalf of the Government , and with over 400 organisations country wide all trying to fund raise and keep afloat that unfortunately seems to have become the bigger issue. We need a government lead strategy involving all governmental Departments with centralised funding and a willingness to really try and decrease the yearly figures of deaths by suicide. Look at the strategy that was introduced by government and all the stake holders with deaths on the roads and it has been extremely successful. But it took money and commitment and education . A politician once told me that for him in his local area taking a bend or a corner away on the road where a number of people had died would definitely gain him votes in the next local or general election ( regardless of whether there were more deaths when the road was straightened ) but issues for anyone with mental health problems would not get him any votes. Few if any politicians care either way while at the same time it has be to acknowledged that tremendous work and effort has been made by one or two individuals
    in trying to change government policies and with keeping mental health issues and suicide high on the agenda. Deputy Dan Neville immediately comes to mind.
    Will our next government do anything different or put more money in funding for mental health – most likely not. The manifesto will make the promise but once in we all know the score after that.

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Sep 10th 2015, 9:25 PM

    It’s ironic that we strive to protect the young from suicide, while the libtards think that when we reach a certain stage in life, “euthanasia” is hunky dory.

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    Mute Tiffany Mary O'Brien
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:38 AM
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    Mute Tiffany Mary O'Brien
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:41 AM

    Yesterday’s Sean O ‘Rourke’s show

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