Suicide – the single leading cause of death for men under 50

Suicide is a key mental health issue which disproportionately affects men. Three times as many men as women die by suicide.¹ Suicide is the single leading cause of death for men under 50 in the UK.

Men are less likely than women to talk about their mental health. Research from BUPA found that only around a quarter of men (24 per cent) who have struggled with mental health say they would talk to their friends about their struggles. Furthermore, less than half of men would seek medical advice for their mental health struggles, owing to the stigma surrounding it.²

The reasons why men choose to stay silent about their mental health issues are complex, but can include:

• Societal expectations
• Poor emotional understanding
• A reluctance to burden others
• Familial or cultural pressures
• Misconceptions such as the belief that speaking up indicates weakness, or that this can exacerbate problems³

As part of its investigation into men’s mental health, the London Assembly Health Committee will hear from guests who have lived experience of challenges with mental health. The guests are:

Panel 1: 14:00 - 15:25 - Guests with lived experience

• Stephen
• Chris
• Ian

Panel 2: 15:30 – 17:00

• Dr Tom Coffey OBE, Mayoral Health Advisor
• Dan Barrett, Director, Thrive LDN & Good Thinking, and Co-Director, PHI-UK Population Mental Health Consortium
• Karen Bonner MBE, Regional Chief Nurse, NHS England (London region)
• Dr Billy Boland, Regional Clinical Director for Mental Health, NHS England (London region)

The meeting will take place on Wednesday 2 July from 2pm in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.

Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.

Follow us @LondonAssembly.