It’s not only the nights that start to close in for many people at this cold and dank time of year. The UK’ s most famous helpline – the Samaritans – reports that it receives by far and away the highest number of calls and cries for help during the period leading up to Christmas and the New Year. And, with all that is currently going on in the world right now, you wouldn’t bet on the coming days being anything other than an extremely busy time for their band of dedicated listeners.
Unfortunately, the latest statistics on those experiencing mental health issues suggest that a significantly higher than average proportion of those calls will be made by those working in the construction industry. This month’s viewpoint highlights the tragic loss of life predominately among young male workers weighed down by a multitude of worries. For those already on the brink of depression these few next weeks have traditionally been a tipping point of no return.
Fortunately, there are signs that after decades of causal indifference, and general ignorance of the scale of the problem, the Government and, indeed, many organisations within the construction industry, are waking up to the need for positive action alongside their more traditional functions.
The appointment of the world’s first Minister for Suicide Prevention, Jackie Doyle four years ago was a game changer in recognising that the pressures of modern life are impacting more and more on members of society, and especially those that would be considered, in age terms at least, in the prime of their lives. Unfortunately, the political upheavals of the past few years have seen Ms Doyle replaced first by former nurse Nadine Dorries and more recently the colourful Therese Coffey. As Secretary of State for Health and Social Care she has been challenged with a much broader brief and concerns have been raised that the “Suicide Prevention” element of the title has been dropped. Clearly Ms Coffey has a lot on her plate right now, but it would be a tragedy if the small gains made in recent years are lost on the altar of political correctness. We have to say it as it is surely?
As Britain’s biggest building magazine – reaching more than 100,000 tradespeople each month through print and various social media channels – we have been made well aware of the role we can play in helping those with mental health issues to come forward and get the help they desperately need. Some of the deeply personal stories we have received from readers in recent years have been particularly harrowing. Amongst those was that of general builder, Trevor Bryant who lost his stonemason twin brother Trystan in 2017. He told us at that time that he too had suffered from depression for more than twenty years and was making it his mission to help others in the industry avoid the same fate of his much loved sibling. As we said at the time, if printing his poignant letter in that December issue back in 2018 helped save just one tragic loss of live, all of our Christmases will truly have come at once!
If you are feeling in need of some professional mental health advice or know of someone who is struggling check out the Building Mental Health portal where you’ll find a host of useful links Building Mental Health – Building Mental Health – Home
