Quarter of people won't talk to depressed friends about suicide, new poll shows

Ged Flynn from Mind says getting a depressed person talking doesn't make their suicide more likely.

Stephen Fry is an avid campaigner of mental health awareness Getty Images

One in four people would not talk to a depressed male friend or family member about suicide for fear their friend would take their own life, a YouGov poll has found. It comes as charities and organisations join forces today to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.

But Ged Flynn, boss of mental health charity Mind, said getting your friend to open up does not make suicide more likely to happen. Speaking to The Su n, he said: "It can, and often does, reduce the risk of suicide. It can seem scary, but silence and stigma kill."

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50, killing 1,600 children and young people every year in the UK.

Stephen Fry, rapper Professor Green, footballer Clark Carlisle took part in a powerful campaign with The Self-Esteem Team to encourage men to open up.

The video finishes with the tagline: "Emotions have no gender".

Former teacher Joy Hibbins set up Suicide Crisis a year after she became suicidal. She told USA Today: "It was my own experience that showed me there was a massive gap in services."

Her charity has helped about 700 people – many of whom have been men – in Gloucestershire, and none of her clients have committed suicide.

"People who have used the service are in no doubt that it has helped save lives," said Helen Garnham, public health manager for Public Health England.

Charity YoungMinds found two-thirds of local authorities in England made cuts to their child and adolescent mental health services, with one council reporting a 41% in their budget.

The knock-on effect of children and young people being unable to access the support they need has triggered a surge in calls to NSPCC's Childline complaining of suicidal thoughts.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported more than 800,000 people commit suicide every year worldwide: the equivalent of one suicide every 40 seconds.

Korea, Lithuania and Guyana had the highest suicide rates in the world.

Member states have committed to reducing the rate of suicide by 10% by 2020.