Hull mental health advocate urges others to speak out after losing mum to suicide

A Hull mental health advocate is urging others to speak out - after losing his mum to suicide.

Following the arrival of the Baton of Hope in East Yorkshire yesterday, which aims to raise awareness around suicide prevention, Matthew Wright says it’s vital the conversation doesn’t end here.

He was at the event on behalf of RSCPA Hull and East Yorkshire: Matthew said:

"I went through some really challenging stuff after my mum passed away, both through work and personally, and my mental health suffered dramatically and I got to the point where I was just breaking. I wasn't able to function. Thing that made the biggest difference is just stopping and talking to somebody. I lost my mum to suicide. She took a life during COVID, and what I discovered in that time is she was let down by various different people and society at large, and I made it almost one of my personal targets to do all I could to support people like my mum who were potentially lonely. The empty nesters, people who had lost their loved ones.

"We don't know the trauma they're experiencing. And for me, everybody's got the ability to have a conversation, to be a listening ear and actually show some kind of love. And in a world where people are quick to judge, don't judge, just stop. Listen and support.

"Society has suggested that men have to be quiet. Men don't cry. Men take on the burden. It'll be okay, man up. Those are all things which affect our ability to cope and ask for support."