Breaking the Silence: Empowering Men in Suicide Prevention, with Steve Whittle, founder of Tough to Talk

Mid-life Men: the mental health podcast

In this episode, I am joined by Steve Whittle, founder of Tough to Talk, a charity committed to helping business and community leaders reduce male suicide rates by empowering men to speak openly about their struggles.
Steve shares his own experiences of suicide behaviours and how this led to him starting Tough to Talk. He addresses the critical issue of suicide prevention, particularly focusing on the alarming statistics related to men. Suicide is described as the number one preventable cause of death globally, claiming over 700,000 lives annually. Shockingly, two-thirds of these individuals are men, who are three times more likely to die by suicide than women.
We explore the barriers men face in seeking help, emphasising that only 32% of men in the UK engage with psychological services. These challenges are attributed to stigma surrounding mental health and societal expectations of male strength (toxic masculinity). The suicide continuum is explored as a framework to understand the progression of suicidal thoughts and actions, highlighting that men often suffer in silence due to this disconnect.
Steve also discusses factors contributing to suicidal tendencies, including psychological, identity, biological, current life circumstances, and past trauma. He emphasises that men considering suicide may not necessarily want to die but just want to seek relief from their pain.
He talks about the difficulty of spotting signs of suicidal behaviour in men, as they often conceal their struggles and the importance of using direct language when discussing suicide, even if the words may be uncomfortable.
The speaker introduces "Tough to Talk," an initiative aimed at breaking the stigma around male mental health by engaging men in male-dominated industries and promoting open conversations. They believe that by encouraging men to discuss their challenges, it will filter into homes and eventually eradicate generational gender bias and stigma.
Despite increased conversations about mental health, suicide rates are still rising, underlining the need for proactive checking-in on friends and the importance of persistent and specific questions when someone says they are "fine."
In summary, this episode sheds light on the urgent need for suicide prevention efforts targeted at men, emphasizing the role of societal norms and the importance of open communication in addressing this critical issue in the workplace, in communities and in the home.
Tough to Talk vows to break down the stigma of men’s mental health and aims to train 2,400 ‘tough talkers’ over the next 18 months.
If you are experiencing any of the issues raised in this podcast, general advice is to talk to your doctor. There are also organisations you can call now for example, in the UK, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123, and if you are in the US, you can call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.