- Author, Navtej Johal
- Role, bbc news
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30 minutes ago
After attempting to take his own life last year, Simon wants politicians to prioritize investment in mental health so more people can get the help they need.
This article contains references to suicidal thoughts.
“I felt like I had let everyone down, that I had failed, that I wasn’t good enough, that I would be better off if I wasn’t here anymore.”
Father-of-two Simon is determined to talk openly and honestly about what happened to him, even if it is extremely difficult.
The 46-year-old works for a food and drink manufacturer and lives in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, with his wife and teenage daughter.
In November last year, Simon was diagnosed with depression and tried to take his own life.
He is one of many people who contacted the BBC through Your voice, your vote to tell us that mental health is the most important issue for them during this election.
“Things just came to a head”
Last year, Simon’s mental health took a hit due to pressures at work and at home. He was on a waiting list for an autism evaluation, something that has not yet occurred.
“I tried to avoid just getting up in the morning. I just felt like I couldn’t face the day. “I just didn’t want to do anything,” Simon reveals.
He lost two stone in weight and didn’t sleep for “weeks and weeks and weeks”.
“One night, things came to a head and if it wasn’t for my wife and daughter, I could have done something pretty serious,” he says.
“Fortunately they locked me at home and I ended up going to the hospital to the ER.”
But a week later, Simon left his house and tried to take his own life.
His local mental health crisis team helped him and he ended up off work for nine weeks to recover.
Simon says that although he is “not there yet” in recovery, overall he is doing “fantastically well”.
But he believes he would have benefited from an earlier in-person intervention.
“If I had had face-to-face support before, I probably wouldn’t have had the problems I had in November,” he says.
“I think some of the services are good, but I don’t think they are enough.”
Simon now wants to see greater investment in mental health services and for parties to prioritize mental health in this election.
“It’s destroying people’s families. You are ruining people’s lives unnecessarily. Mine almost broke and that’s not right,” she states.
Of those who responded, almost two-thirds (66%) were concerned about the state of mental health services provided by the NHS.
“Seen as a sign of weakness”
TO Report of the National Audit Office It found that there were an estimated 1.2 million people on the waiting list for NHS community mental health services at the end of June 2022.
Mind spokesperson Rosie Weatherley says it is “very, very urgent that whoever comes into the next government prioritizes mental health.”
Simon believes his struggles were made worse because he is a man.
He says that there is often a feeling among men that “they need to become men, grow up.”
“It’s something people don’t want to talk about because they see it as a sign of weakness,” he says.
Simon is now part of Andy’s Man Club, a men’s suicide prevention charity. He says it has been “a huge help” to talk to other men who have gone through similar experiences. He now also volunteers at the charity.
“No one should take their own life because it is a permanent decision that cannot be taken back,” he says.
“Feeling depressed is temporary, but taking your own life is permanent.”
What do the parties promise about mental health and male suicide?
The Conservatives say their suicide prevention strategy will ensure employers in male-dominated industries have adequate support for employees, such as mental health first responders, and expand mental health programs, including NHS talking therapies, over the next parliament.
Labour says it will hire 8,500 mental health professionals to reduce mental health waiting lists, provide mental health support in all schools and open drop-in centers in “every community so that young men and boys are not left behind.” suffer alone.”
The liberal democrats They call for the introduction of regular mental health checks. They also say they will put a qualified mental health professional in every school.
The green party says it will ensure everyone who needs it can access evidence-based mental health therapies within 28 days. He says it will also provide a trained, paid counselor in every primary and secondary school, and every sixth form college.
Cymru plaid says he supports reform of the Mental Health Law. He says the reform is “long overdue.” It is also said that along with the transfer of full powers.
The BBC approached the Scottish National Party and UK Reformbut they didn’t respond.
In its manifesto, the SNP called on the next UK government to increase spending on the NHS by £10bn a year, of which £1.6bn would go to Scotland, while Reform promised an extra £17bn. a year for the NHS.
If you have been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available through BBC action line.
Your voice, your vote: What do you want BBC News to cover in this election?
