Ben, the automotive business charity, has launched a month-long suicide prevention marketing campaign to boost consciousness and spotlight the help it could supply.

As a part of the marketing campaign, new help and assets are actually accessible on Ben’s web site, in addition to new on-line coaching. The charity has additionally created a brand new part of its web site devoted to suicide prevention with data, recommendation and steering for people vulnerable to suicide, for these fearful about somebody and likewise for employers.

In response to ONS, in 2021, there have been 6,567 deaths by suicide registered within the UK, with males aged between 45-49 as having the very best suicide fee in England and Wales. A complete of 126 folks die by suicide within the UK each week, with round 74% of these being male. 

The automotive business is male dominated (80% male, versus 20% female3) so there’s doubtlessly a better danger and vulnerability to suicide than in different industries. Males typically really feel beneath strain to not present indicators of weak point and really feel embarrassed to speak about their points, so are much less prone to search assist when battling their psychological well being. Ben mentioned that employers subsequently have a task to play in lowering the stigma round male psychological well being and to offer related help to stop suicide.

From findings in Ben’s survey report 2023, 1 in 3 automotive staff reported having had points managing their psychological well being, in contrast with 1 in 6 of the final UK working inhabitants.

“Generally, pleasure is an element and males might imagine they’ll deal with their issues on their very own, or they fear about being a burden to others. Males are additionally extra seemingly to reply to stress with dangerous behaviour comparable to abusing alcohol which will increase the danger of suicide by as much as eight instances,” mentioned the charity.

Ben has seen a rise in calls to its helpline for help round suicide over latest years. In 2022, Ben supported 303 people who disclosed they have been experiencing suicidal ideation or intent. Round 7 employers every year name on the charity’s Pressing Response Service after an worker has taken their very own life. 

Rachel Clift, well being & wellbeing director at Ben, mentioned: “Analysis and statistics ought to give us trigger for concern in our business, coupled with the very fact we at present have extra folks than ever requesting help. For this reason it’s essential to boost consciousness about lack of life by means of suicide, because it’s a troublesome matter to broach. We wish everybody in our business to know that Ben is there for them and urge folks to get in contact for help in the event that they’re struggling or in disaster.”

Talking about Ben’s new suicide consciousness and prevention coaching, Nicola Fairley at Arnold Clark mentioned: “The suicide consciousness course from Ben was a terrific supply of data on a delicate topic for each these with no expertise of coping with these points to these with prior coaching. It gave sensible recommendation of the instruments and help that may be utilised in these troublesome conditions.”

Along with offering help for people, Ben additionally works with automotive business employers to offer the next coaching and companies: 

Ben will help those that work, or have labored, within the automotive business and their household dependents. “Do not wrestle alone, contact our helpline: 08081 311 333 or use our webchat at www.ben.org.uk. You can too entry Ben’s out of hours textual content help line by texting BEN to 85258,” mentioned the charity.

For extra data on Ben’s coaching and companies, electronic mail bentraining@ben.org.uk.