Don't get stuck on the ropes

There's always somebody to talk to.

Talking to someone is better than bottling it up. Sometimes there's no body to talk to. Or, if there is, the problem's not something you feel you want to share with someone who knows you. That's normal. All men have felt that way at some time or another.

If that's how you feel, call or email the Samaritans. Men are three times more likely to take their own lives than women. And one of the reasons for that is that we're probably about five times less likely to talk about something that's bugging us than a woman.

The Samaritans have launched a new advertising campaign to remind us that they're there. Men on the Ropes aims to reduce the more than 4,000 male suicides that happen each year by persuading us to talk about our problems first and consider calling Samaritans’ helpline. That's a lot of wasted lives.

The Samaritans' research found that often men do not discuss their emotions with friends or colleagues because this would be seen as ‘weak’. Others of us have long-term hassles caused by unemployment, family break-down, and drug or gambling problems which we don't think will get any better. If we're unable to find work and are dependent upon you're partner’s income, you can feel ‘emasculated’ and ‘reduced’ to being a house-husband. All these are normal feelings but that doesn't mean they're true. Talking can help you see what's real and what isn't.

Rachel Kirby-Rider, Samaritans’ Director of Communications, said: 'many men don’t feel able to talk about their feelings and, instead, either bottle them up or let them spiral out of control, sometimes with tragic consequences. The main aim of the campaign therefore is to make calling Samaritans’ 24/7 confidential helpline an option for them.'

It makes sense. Get off the ropes. Contact the Samaritans: 08457 90 90 90 or by email. Whatever you’ve done. Whatever life’s done to you. No names. No pressure. No judgement.

It works.