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Luke Ambler wants #ItsOkayToTalk to halve number of male suicides Luke Ambler wants #ItsOkayToTalk to halve number of male suicides
(14 days later)
The rugby league player behind a social media campaign urging men to talk about mental health problems says he want to halve the rate of male suicides in five years.The rugby league player behind a social media campaign urging men to talk about mental health problems says he want to halve the rate of male suicides in five years.
Luke Ambler, who plays for Halifax RLFC, launched the #itsokaytotalk campaign after the suicide this year of his brother-in-law Andy Roberts.Luke Ambler, who plays for Halifax RLFC, launched the #itsokaytotalk campaign after the suicide this year of his brother-in-law Andy Roberts.
Celebrities including Ricky Gervais, the author Irvine Welsh and the rugby union star Danny Cipriani, as well as the former health minister Norman Lamb have backed the 26-year-old’s campaign, posting a picture doing the OK hand gesture as thousands of people tweeted their support.Celebrities including Ricky Gervais, the author Irvine Welsh and the rugby union star Danny Cipriani, as well as the former health minister Norman Lamb have backed the 26-year-old’s campaign, posting a picture doing the OK hand gesture as thousands of people tweeted their support.
@TheLadBible pic.twitter.com/tSPXKtQvhO@TheLadBible pic.twitter.com/tSPXKtQvhO
Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and men accounted for 75% of the 6,122 suicides reported in 2014, according to the latest available figures.Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and men accounted for 75% of the 6,122 suicides reported in 2014, according to the latest available figures.
Ambler said his brother-in-law might still have been alive if he had somewhere to go to talk about his problems before he died. “He was at our house on Saturday having a laugh and a joke, he played football as usual on Sunday before spending time with the family and then on Monday night, he killed himself with no explanation,” he added.Ambler said his brother-in-law might still have been alive if he had somewhere to go to talk about his problems before he died. “He was at our house on Saturday having a laugh and a joke, he played football as usual on Sunday before spending time with the family and then on Monday night, he killed himself with no explanation,” he added.
Related: Suicides and assaults in prisons in England and Wales at all-time high
In an attempt to break down the stigmas surrounding mental health, Ambler set up Andy’s Man Club, aimed at encouraging males from all walks of life to come and chat with other like-minded men in Ambler’s hometown of Halifax.In an attempt to break down the stigmas surrounding mental health, Ambler set up Andy’s Man Club, aimed at encouraging males from all walks of life to come and chat with other like-minded men in Ambler’s hometown of Halifax.
We MUST tackle the taboo & get the message out there that it's #itsokaytotalk about anxiety or depression pic.twitter.com/DiCfg1AF1NWe MUST tackle the taboo & get the message out there that it's #itsokaytotalk about anxiety or depression pic.twitter.com/DiCfg1AF1N
More than 20 men attended during the first three weeks, and alongside the explosion of Ambler’s #ItsOkayToTalk social media campaign, the Andy’s Man Club concept is growing.More than 20 men attended during the first three weeks, and alongside the explosion of Ambler’s #ItsOkayToTalk social media campaign, the Andy’s Man Club concept is growing.
“When I first came up with the idea, I expected me and Andy’s mum to be sat there on our own,” he says. “We didn’t even think it would get out of my town of Ovenden, let alone Halifax. I’ve had hundreds of emails and calls and it shows the problem which is out there.“When I first came up with the idea, I expected me and Andy’s mum to be sat there on our own,” he says. “We didn’t even think it would get out of my town of Ovenden, let alone Halifax. I’ve had hundreds of emails and calls and it shows the problem which is out there.
“We’ve had Olympic stars tweeting about it, Danny Cipriani too, famous rugby league players like Australia international Paul Gallen and more. This hasn’t even scratched the surface yet, believe me. We’re aiming to cut the number of male suicides in half within five years: that’s our goal. If we can save lives, we’ve done something really special.”“We’ve had Olympic stars tweeting about it, Danny Cipriani too, famous rugby league players like Australia international Paul Gallen and more. This hasn’t even scratched the surface yet, believe me. We’re aiming to cut the number of male suicides in half within five years: that’s our goal. If we can save lives, we’ve done something really special.”
On average, 12 men killed themselves every day in 2014. Ambler believes that many had nowhere to speak about their issues without fear of being chastised or judged for having mental health problems. That, he says, is where Andy’s Man Club comes in: the groups deal with a myriad of issues that affect men on a day-to-day basis.On average, 12 men killed themselves every day in 2014. Ambler believes that many had nowhere to speak about their issues without fear of being chastised or judged for having mental health problems. That, he says, is where Andy’s Man Club comes in: the groups deal with a myriad of issues that affect men on a day-to-day basis.
Us volunteers at #Teddington are all on board with #itsokaytotalk! @ChiswickRNLI @TowerRNLI @GravesendRNLI @RNLI pic.twitter.com/qb51djwtPeUs volunteers at #Teddington are all on board with #itsokaytotalk! @ChiswickRNLI @TowerRNLI @GravesendRNLI @RNLI pic.twitter.com/qb51djwtPe
“Sometimes men don’t want to talk as they feel ridiculed or think that they’re putting a burden on their families,” he says. “Then if you try talk about it with the lads, it ends up being turned into banter. I began to think that there was nowhere Andy could have spoken to anyone about what was going on, which is why I came up with the idea of Andy’s Man Club.“Sometimes men don’t want to talk as they feel ridiculed or think that they’re putting a burden on their families,” he says. “Then if you try talk about it with the lads, it ends up being turned into banter. I began to think that there was nowhere Andy could have spoken to anyone about what was going on, which is why I came up with the idea of Andy’s Man Club.
“It’s somewhere for men to get together and talk with other like-minded people - and they don’t just sit and talk. We do physical activities, we discuss coping strategies and talk about all sorts of things; from anger to debt management, even things like access to children, which some men have to deal with.“We had the chief executive of a major national company come in recently: that shows you that mental health can impact everyone.“It’s somewhere for men to get together and talk with other like-minded people - and they don’t just sit and talk. We do physical activities, we discuss coping strategies and talk about all sorts of things; from anger to debt management, even things like access to children, which some men have to deal with.“We had the chief executive of a major national company come in recently: that shows you that mental health can impact everyone.
“I’m urging people that when they’re in a dark place, reach out and look at Andy’s Man Club and see what we can do for you. Try to talk, it’s not weak whatsoever to talk. If we could have set this up before Andy died then we wouldn’t have his two-year-old daughter growing up without her father.”“I’m urging people that when they’re in a dark place, reach out and look at Andy’s Man Club and see what we can do for you. Try to talk, it’s not weak whatsoever to talk. If we could have set this up before Andy died then we wouldn’t have his two-year-old daughter growing up without her father.”