Every two days, one young woman in the UK dies by suicide.
We’ve teamed up with Lioness and CALM Ambassador Fran Kirby to show that your support can save a life.
When a player is injured on the pitch, help is immediate. But when young women are suicidal, their signals for help go unseen.
We all need to play our part to change that.
"We need to tackle the stigma that prevents young women from being seen when they’re struggling, and make sure they feel supported."
Tackling stigma. Changing the game. Here’s what we need to do:
The stats tell a shocking story. More young women are dying by suicide than ever before. One woman under the age of 25 in the UK takes her own life every two days. It means over the course of this World Cup more than 14 young women could die by suicide.
Each and every one of us has a role to play in changing that. So we’ve created these practical, easy-to-carry-out steps you can do to help:
How to help someone who’s feeling suicidal - our guide on what to do if a friend or loved one tells you they’re struggling.
Suicidal thoughts - Anyone can have suicidal thoughts. Find out more about them and get support if you need it.
Know how to spot the signs: it can be hard to recognise the signs someone's considering suicide. Learn what to look out for.
Real stories: Hear first hand from those who’ve been through it, lost someone and the experts who are looking to create change
You never know how someone is doing until you ask: Early mental health support can make a huge difference. There are loads of simple ways to be there when someone asks for support.
“I want people to acknowledge that what young women are feeling is real, legitimate. To say: We believe you, and we're here for whatever you need.”
The issue is complicated and there isn’t any single or easy explanation. However, we do know women are three times more likely than men to experience common mental health problems. And there are a few common factors that disproportionately affect young women: things like self-esteem, anxiety, body issues and relationships.
New research commissioned by CALM found that stereotypes around women meant that those in crisis would often hold back from asking for help for a number of reasons:
And for those who have reached out for support, the response only served to make them feel like their issues were being trivialised:
And here’s the tragic truth:
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If you’re struggling it can feel like there’s no one on your side. But we see you. And we’re here to help.
