Men in Blackpool three times more likely to take own lives

The suicide rate is significantly higher among men than women in Blackpool.
The male suicide rate in Blackpool has fallen slightly since 2010The male suicide rate in Blackpool has fallen slightly since 2010
The male suicide rate in Blackpool has fallen slightly since 2010

Mental health charity the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) said stereotypes about masculinity, which lead men to bottle up their emotions, are linked to high suicide rates.

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Public Health England data shows there were 40 cases of suicide among men in Blackpool between 2015 and 2017, the latest period for which data is available.

The male suicide rate in Blackpool has fallen slightly since 2010The male suicide rate in Blackpool has fallen slightly since 2010
The male suicide rate in Blackpool has fallen slightly since 2010
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This makes the male suicide rate for the area around 22.2 in every 100,000 men, more than three times the rate for women, which stood at 5.9.

The male suicide rate has dropped since 2010-12, when it was 24 in every 100,000. The number of female suicides in the time period was too low to calculate a rate.

Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM, said suicide remained the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK, with an average of 84 men taking their own lives in every week.

He said: "As a society we often conflate strength and stoicism – our research has told us that 84 per cent of men bottle up their emotions – and this can be incredibly damaging.

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"There is still a stigma surrounding male mental health and suicide, but we’re moving in the right direction.

"More people than ever are contacting CALM and accessing our services and, following our call to the Government last year, the UK’s first Minister for Suicide Prevention was appointed. The wheels are in motion but there’s a long way to go.”

Gregor Henderson, from Public Health England, said: “Every suicide is a tragedy – it’s important that those at higher risk, including middle-aged men experiencing problems, receive the right support.

“We have worked with local authorities to ensure every area has a local suicide prevention plan and are leading work nationally to prevent poor mental health, reduce suicide rates and improve the quality of life for people living with mental illness.”

CALM can be contacted nationwide on 0800 585858.