Darlington has sixth highest suicide rates in England
The rates are higher than the national average
Council officials have vowed to prioritise suicide prevention as Darlington recorded the sixth highest rate in England.
Stark new figures show the rates of suicide in Darlington are higher than the national average, and the third highest in the North East.
There is currently a wide disparity between genders, with the rates for men almost four times the rates for women. Darlington sees high rates of suicide in men aged 45-64.
Rebecca Morgan, public health officer at Darlington Borough Council, said: “There’s still work to do, and it’s still a priority for us and all our partners across the borough we’re working with.”
Darlington’s figures show an increased rate of suicides per 100,000 population that was significantly greater than the England average over recent years, which “must be addressed as a priority,” the council said.
A report added: “While the rates in Darlington are high, the number of lives lost to suicide remains relatively small. This does not lessen the impact of these tragic losses, but it means that caution is exercised when sharing local data to ensure that anonymity is protected.”
A group from the Suicide Prevention Partnership has been established to develop a marketing campaign to highlight the specific support that is available in Darlington for men experiencing suicidal crisis.
The council added: “Suicide prevention and risk reduction continue to be a focus for system-wide activity in Darlington and in the wider regional structures. Initial work to explore and further develop local action will continue, co-ordinated by the Suicide Prevention Partnership. Local data and intelligence, alongside the evidence base for suicide prevention, will be utilised to inform further local actions.”
Councillor Mary Layton highlighted the concerning impact of gambling on people’s mental health. Speaking at a council meeting, she said: “It’s a very private, secretive, and terrifying addiction. It’s got a real, crippling impact on people.”
Lorraine Hughes, Darlington’s director of public health, said the council is tackling the growth of online gambling and its impact on the community. She added: “It’s a really important issue and we are working on it. There is increasing evidence that gambling is a factor in suicide.”
If you need support, contact Samaritans for free on 116 123 or other sources of support, such as those listed on the NHS help for suicidal thoughts webpage.
You can find your local mental health support on the Hub of Hope website.
Andy's Man Club
Michael Chapplow, area lead for Andy's Man Club in the North East, said: "Sadly it's not a massive surprise as we understand there's still an issue around suicide. I'm a little bit surprised to hear between ages 45 to 64 as that's a little bit higher than I would have believed it to be which is interesting. Certainly upwards of 64 I wouldn't have thought it would be that high but sadly it is around 45 where I would have said.
"We've opened more groups in the North East in the past year and the numbers have gone up and there is certainly always new men attending Andy's Man Club every week, but the reasons for why those men come can be for all different reasons, not necessarily suicidal.
"It's not easy to walk through that door to Andy's Man Club. I've experienced it but it's not as difficult as you think it's going to be. Your mind will always tell you things that you've done, or things that you're going to do are more difficult than when you do turn up and do them. If you think back to a time when you've been struggling to something and when you've done it, you've realised it wasn't as bad as you thought, that's the same as Andy's Man Club.
"There are friendly men there. Our facilitiators and our volunteers will make you feel welcome, they'll greet you, it's a relaxed place where you can take part, you don't have to speak if you don't want to, you can leave, and it's really relaxed so it isn't as scary as your mind might think it's going to be.
"Personally, the biggest thing that Andy's Man Club has helped with is social anxiety. I struggled massively with feeling as though I was too scared to live my life. Where I'm sitting right now in my bedroom is the only place I felt safe. Andy's Man Club gave me the confidence and the tools to be able to go out there and enjoy life and experience new things which for the vast majority of my adult life still to this day I haven't enjoyed."