Category: Blog

Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

Posted on by Alice Newton-Leeming

Issue 24 | July 2026

Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

Building Safer, More Inclusive Communities Through Suicide Prevention Training

Every July, Minority Mental Health Awareness Month shines a light on the unique mental health challenges faced by people from racial, ethnic, cultural, and other underrepresented communities. 🌍 It is an opportunity to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and take meaningful action to ensure everyone has access to understanding, support, and hope.

Mental health affects us all, but not everyone experiences the same barriers to care.

Many individuals from minority communities face additional challenges, including discrimination, cultural stigma surrounding mental health, language barriers, financial obstacles, and unequal access to healthcare services. These factors can make it harder to seek help, increasing the risk of people struggling in silence. 🤝

Suicide prevention starts with recognising that every person’s experience is different.

💡 Why Awareness Matters

Understanding the lived experiences of diverse communities helps us create environments where people feel seen, heard, and supported. Whether in workplaces, schools, healthcare settings, or community organisations, inclusive conversations about mental health can make a significant difference.

By increasing awareness, we can:

💬 Reduce stigma around mental health and suicide.

🌱 Encourage earlier conversations and help-seeking.

👀 Recognise that warning signs may present differently across cultures and communities.

🫶 Foster trust and psychological safety.

🌟 Build stronger, more compassionate communities.

🛟 The Role of Suicide Prevention Training

While we cannot remove every barrier someone may face, we can ensure that more people know how to recognise when someone may be struggling and respond with confidence and compassion.

Suicide prevention training equips participants to:


✅ Identify common warning signs and risk factors.

💬 Start supportive conversations with empathy.

👂 Listen without judgement.

📍 Encourage individuals towards appropriate professional support.

🌍 Understand the importance of cultural sensitivity and inclusive communication.

These skills help create environments where people feel safer reaching out before they reach crisis point.

🌈 Creating Inclusive Support

Effective suicide prevention is not one-size-fits-all. Being culturally aware means recognising that beliefs about mental health, emotional expression, family dynamics, and seeking support can vary widely between communities.

Taking time to understand these differences helps us provide support that is respectful, compassionate, and more likely to be effective.

Small actions—listening openly, avoiding assumptions, and creating space for honest conversations—can have a lasting impact. 💚

✨ This Month’s Challenge

As we recognise Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, consider one action you can take:

📚 Learn about the mental health experiences of communities different from your own.

🪞 Reflect on how inclusive your workplace or organisation is.

📢 Share trusted mental health resources.

🎓 Continue developing your confidence through suicide prevention training.

💚 Start a conversation that could help someone feel less alone.

Together, we can create communities where every person—regardless of their background or identity—feels valued, supported, and able to access help when they need it most.

Thank you for being part of a growing movement committed to compassion, inclusion, and suicide prevention.

Every conversation matters, every person matters, and every step towards greater understanding helps build a safer future for us all. 🌍💚

To find out how to train with us, head to our website:

Visit our website

With warm wishes,

Alice and the Mental Health Learning Team 🧠

Men’s Mental Health Month June 2026

Posted on by Alice Newton-Leeming

Issue 23 | June 2026

Men’s Mental Health Month & PTSD Awareness Month

June is a significant month for mental health awareness.

As both Men’s Mental Health Month and PTSD Awareness Month, it provides an opportunity to deepen our understanding of populations that often face unique barriers to seeking support, while reinforcing the critical role mental health professionals play in prevention, intervention, and recovery.

Whether you’re working in suicide prevention, counseling, healthcare, education, crisis response, or community outreach, your work helps create pathways to hope and healing for individuals who may otherwise suffer in silence.

💙 Men’s Mental Health Month: Breaking the Silence

Men continue to experience disproportionately high rates of suicide while often being less likely to access mental health services.

Cultural expectations surrounding masculinity, stigma, social isolation, and reluctance to seek help can contribute to delayed intervention and increased risk.

As professionals it is crucial to be aware that:

✅ Men may present distress differently, including through irritability, anger, substance use, risk-taking behaviors, or withdrawal rather than openly discussing sadness or hopelessness.

✅ Many men report feeling pressure to appear self-reliant, making it more difficult to disclose emotional struggles.

✅ Building trust, normalizing help-seeking, and using strengths-based approaches can increase engagement and retention in care.

✅ Community-based outreach, peer support initiatives, and workplace mental health programs remain valuable avenues for reaching underserved populations.

🚨 Suicide Prevention and Men’s Mental Health

Suicide prevention efforts must continue to prioritize early identification, meaningful connection, and accessible support services. Small interventions—asking direct questions about suicide risk, validating experiences, and facilitating access to care—can have life-saving impacts.

As professionals, we have an opportunity to challenge harmful stereotypes and create environments where men feel safe discussing mental health concerns without judgment.

💭 Reflection Question: How can your organization better engage men who may be hesitant to seek support?

🎗️ PTSD Awareness Month: Recognizing Trauma and Promoting Recovery

June is also PTSD Awareness Month, dedicated to increasing understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and supporting those affected by trauma.

PTSD can develop following exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, violence, disasters, military combat, accidents, abuse, or other traumatic experiences. While public awareness has increased, many individuals continue to face barriers to diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

🔗 Trauma and Suicide Risk

Research consistently demonstrates a relationship between trauma exposure, PTSD symptoms, and elevated suicide risk. Individuals experiencing PTSD may struggle with:

⚡ Persistent hypervigilance and anxiety

💭 Intrusive memories or flashbacks

🌙 Sleep disturbances and nightmares

🫥 Emotional numbing

⚖️ Feelings of shame, guilt, or hopelessness

🔄 Co-occurring depression or substance use concerns


For many individuals, untreated trauma can significantly impact relationships, employment, physical health, and overall quality of life.

🛠️ What Professionals Can Do

✅ Incorporate trauma-informed principles into all aspects of care.

✅ Routinely assess for trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms.

✅ Screen for suicide risk when working with trauma-affected populations.

✅ Promote evidence-based treatments and recovery-oriented approaches.

✅ Support resilience by helping clients strengthen protective factors and social connections.

Recovery from trauma is possible, and compassionate, evidence-based care can make a profound difference in long-term outcomes.

🌟 Investing in Knowledge, Strengthening Impact

As we recognize 💙 Men’s Mental Health Month and 🎗️ PTSD Awareness Month, we’re reminded that ongoing education is essential to effective suicide prevention and mental health care.

At Mental Health Learning, we’re committed to helping professionals build the knowledge and skills needed to support those facing mental health challenges through evidence-based training in suicide prevention, trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, PTSD, and more.

Thank you for your dedication to this important work. Together, through continued learning and professional growth, we can create stronger systems of support and better outcomes for the individuals and communities we serve.

To find out how we can help you, head to our website:

Visit the website

With warm wishes,

Alice and the Mental Health Learning Team 🧠

Mental Health Awareness Week 2026

Posted on by Alice Newton-Leeming

Issue 22 | May 2026

Mental Health Awareness Week 2026

11th – 17th May

Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 reminds us of something many of us in suicide prevention already know deeply: awareness alone is not enough.

This year’s UK theme, set by the Mental Health Foundation, is “Take Action.” The message is simple but powerful — while conversations around mental health matter, real change happens when people turn concern into meaningful support, connection, and intervention.

For those working in suicide prevention, this theme feels especially important.

We have made progress in reducing stigma. More people are willing to talk about mental health than ever before. Workplaces run awareness campaigns. Schools hold wellbeing events. Social media fills with supportive messages during awareness weeks.

But many people experiencing suicidal thoughts still feel isolated, unheard, or unsure where to turn.

The challenge now is not simply encouraging people to “speak up.” It is making sure someone is truly ready to listen when they do. That is where action matters.

🪧 Action can look like:

Checking in with someone whose behaviour has changed

Creating psychologically safer workplaces and communities

Learning suicide intervention skills

Finding the confidence to ask directly about suicide

Building support systems before crisis happens

Moving beyond one-off awareness events toward sustained culture change


The Mental Health Foundation says even small actions can help people feel “hopeful and less powerless.”
In suicide prevention, small actions often become life-saving moments.

A conversation. A pause. A follow-up text. An offer to stay. A decision to ask one more question.

These moments matter more than we sometimes realise.

📢 Awareness and Training

This Mental Health Awareness Week, we encourage organisations and individuals not only to raise awareness, but to strengthen practical prevention skills.


Training is one way to turn awareness into action.  


At Mental Health Learning, we provide specialist training in mental health, self-harm and suicide prevention designed to help people feel more willing, confident and able to respond when someone may be struggling. Our courses support people across workplaces, education, community organisations and frontline services with practical, evidence-informed skills that can make a real difference.

Suicide prevention training helps people:

• Recognise warning signs earlier

• Respond with greater confidence

• Reduce fear around difficult conversations

• Understand pathways to support

• Create environments where people feel safer reaching out

Find out more

Research and public health guidance continue to highlight the importance of connection, community, and early intervention in protecting mental wellbeing. Yet many people still worry about “saying the wrong thing.” Training helps replace uncertainty with compassionate action. 

One of the strongest messages emerging this year is that mental health support cannot become performative or seasonal. Across community discussions and workplace conversations, people are increasingly asking what happens after awareness week ends.

That question matters.

Because suicide prevention is not built in a single campaign week. It is built through everyday culture – in how people are treated, how distress is recognised, how leaders respond and whether support feels genuinely accessible.

Mental Health Awareness Week gives us an opportunity to reflect on what meaningful action looks like in practice. Awareness opens the door. Action helps save lives. Thank you for continuing to be part of this work.


With warm wishes,

Alice and the Mental Health Learning Team 🧠

University Mental Health Day

Posted on by Alice Newton-Leeming

Issue 20 |12th March 2026

Human Connection & Suicide Prevention

🧠 What is University Mental Health Day?

We’re a bit late sending this out… but just because the day has passed it doesn’t dull the intention behind awareness days.

Student Minds and the University Mental Health Advisers Network (UMHAN) lead University Mental Health Day on March the 12th, a UK-wide initiative to get the nation talking about student mental health, make wellbeing a university-wide priority, and highlight how caring for each other can prevent crises.

This year’s theme — Human Connection — recognises that positive social bonds help protect mental health and can be a vital factor in suicide prevention.

✨ Why Human Connection Matters

Strong relationships act as a buffer against loneliness, anxiety, and stress — all contributors to distress in student populations.

At least 1 in 3 students feels lonely all or most of the time, and loneliness undermines the early identification of emotional distress.

Meaningful connection can empower students to open up about struggles, reducing stigma around mental health and promoting early help-seeking.

🚨 Focusing on Suicide Prevention

University life can be exciting and transformative, but it can also bring intense pressure, isolation, and uncertainty. Academic demands, financial stress, social changes, and being away from familiar support systems can sometimes overwhelm students.

Mental health challenges among university students in the UK have increased significantly in recent years, highlighting the importance of effective suicide prevention and early support. Research suggests that around one in six UK undergraduates now report experiencing mental health difficulties, a proportion that has risen sharply over the past decade. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there were 1,108 suicides among higher education students in England and Wales between 2016 and 2023, averaging around 160 student deaths each year. This equates to a suicide rate of 6.9 deaths per 100,000 students, with male students at significantly higher risk than female students.

While the rate among students is lower than that of the general population of the same age, the impact on university communities is profound.

Suicide prevention on campus starts with awareness and compassion: noticing when someone may be struggling, checking in with friends, and taking mental health seriously. Universities can play a vital role by promoting accessible counseling services, fostering supportive communities, and encouraging open conversations about mental health.

By creating an environment where students feel safe asking for help and where peers look out for one another, we can reduce stigma and ensure that no student feels they have to face their challenges alone. If you or someone you know is struggling, reaching out to a trusted person or campus support service can be a powerful first step toward getting help.

⚠️ Suicide Prevention Training for University Staff

Training programmes such as safeTALK and ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) can play a crucial role in helping university staff recognise and respond to students who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts.

Building on this awareness, the two-day ASIST course provides more in-depth skills, enabling staff to carry out a suicide intervention, support a person at risk, and help develop a practical safety plan to keep them safe.

The four-hour safeTALK workshop helps participants become “suicide alert helpers,” teaching them how to recognise signs of distress, start supportive conversations about suicide, and connect students with appropriate support services.

This course teaches you how to conduct a full suicide intervention.

You will learn the tools and confidence to best support a person at risk, help them create an effective suicide Safety Plan and follow-up the intervention. It also helps you recognize other important aspects of suicide prevention including life-promotion and self-care.

This is an active learning experience with regular opportunities to put learning into practice. After completing this course you will be a recognised Suicide First Aider.

Together, these evidence-informed trainings equip university staff with the confidence and practical tools to identify warning signs early, respond compassionately, and ensure students are connected to the help they need.

Contact us to find out more about these courses and how we can tailor this vital information to your educational setting.

Contact Us

With warm wishes,

Alice and the Mental Health Learning Team 🧠

Time to Talk Day

Posted on by Alice Newton-Leeming

Issue 18 | February 2026

Time to Talk Day is the UK’s biggest mental health conversation — a day for friends, families, colleagues and communities to come together to talk, listen and change lives by breaking down stigma around mental health. It’s run by Mind and partner organisations, with the aim of making it easier to start honest, supportive conversations that can make a real difference.

💬 Why Talking Matters

Talking openly about mental health can:

Reduce stigma and silence, encouraging people to open up.

Help someone feel less alone and more understood.

Be a first step towards getting support or help when it’s needed.

🧠 Practical Ways to Support Someone You Care About

✔️ Be There and Show You Care

Ask how they are — even if they don’t want to talk at that moment. Spend time together, showing through actions that you’re present and supportive. 

✔️ Ask How You Can Help

Different people need different kinds of support — some may want company, help with appointments, or encouragement in everyday routines like sleep and exercise. 

✔️ Listen Without Judgement

Avoid phrases that minimise their experience (e.g., “just cheer up”). Stay open-minded and let them talk in their own way. 

✔️ Don’t Define Them by Their Struggles

A mental health problem is just one part of someone’s life. Keep conversations balanced by talking about shared interests and normal life topics too. 

✔️ Foster Trust and Respect

A supportive, respectful relationship can help rebuild confidence and self-esteem. 

✔️ Look After Yourself Too

Supporting someone else can be emotionally demanding. Set boundaries and share caring responsibilities. Make space for your own wellbeing and support network.

🛠️ Tips for Having the Conversation

Find a comfortable setting and time — sometimes side-by-side conversations (e.g., walking or over tea) feel easier. 

Ask open, non-judgemental questions like “what’s that been like for you?” 

Be honest and clear about your care and concern. 

Offer practical help but let them guide what they need.

mind.org.uk

Time to Talk Day is one day a year — but the impact spreads when we make supportive conversations part of everyday life. 

Regular check-ins and openness can help people feel comfortable seeking the support they need, helping break stigma and build stronger, more compassionate relationships all year round.


With warm wishes,

Alice and the Mental Health Learning Team 🧠

Supporting Mental Health and Suicide Prevention throughout the Summer

Posted on by Alice Newton-Leeming

End of Term, New Challenges

As another school year comes to a close, many children, young people, families, and professionals are enjoying a well-earned break. Summer can bring opportunities for rest, connection and fun—but for many, it can also bring uncertainty, isolation and increased vulnerability. 

For those of us working in mental health, safeguarding and suicide prevention, the summer holidays are an important reminder that risk doesn’t take a holiday.

🎒 School May Be Out… But Support Needs Continue

Schools provide much more than education. For many children and young people, they offer:

💙 Trusted adults to talk to 

🤝 Consistent routines and structure 

🍽️ Access to meals and practical support 

🛡️ A safe environment away from difficult home situations 

👀 Opportunities for concerns to be noticed early

When schools close, these protective factors can temporarily disappear. For some young people, this can increase feelings of loneliness, anxiety or hopelessness, while safeguarding concerns may become less visible until the new term begins.

🧠 Mental Health Doesn’t Pause for the Holidays

The summer holidays can affect people differently. While many enjoy a break, others may face increased stress due to:

Increased social isolation 

Family conflict or relationship difficulties 

The ongoing cost of living pressures, making it harder for families to afford childcare, activities, food or holidays 

Anxiety about exam results or starting a new school, college or university

Reduced access to support services 

Changes in routine that impact existing mental health conditions

For many families, the six-week break can be one of the most financially challenging times of the year. With free school meals temporarily unavailable, childcare costs rising, and the pressure to keep children entertained, financial worries can significantly affect mental wellbeing. These pressures can heighten stress, increase feelings of hopelessness, and place additional strain on family relationships. 


It’s also important to remember that adults working in education, healthcare and safeguarding may be experiencing many of the same challenges. Alongside the emotional demands of supporting others, the continued cost of living pressures can contribute to stress, burnout and compassion fatigue. 


Taking time to prioritise your own wellbeing isn’t selfish—it’s essential.

🚨 Staying Suicide Aware

Although there is no single “high-risk season” for suicide, periods of transition and reduced support can increase vulnerability for some individuals.

This summer, consider: 

✅ Reviewing any existing safety plans before schools close. 

✅ Ensuring children, young people and vulnerable adults know where they can access help during the holidays. 

✅ Checking in with colleagues who may also be feeling emotionally drained after a demanding academic year. 

✅ Encouraging conversations about mental health before a crisis develops.

Small conversations really can make a life-changing difference.

📚 Invest in Learning

For organisations, the quieter summer period can provide an excellent opportunity to strengthen knowledge and confidence before September.

Suicide prevention training can help staff to: 

  • Recognise the warning signs of suicide 
  • Respond confidently to someone experiencing suicidal thoughts Understand effective signposting and referral pathways 
  • Build safer, more compassionate workplaces and communities 
  • Strengthen safeguarding practice across teams 

Whether you work in education, healthcare, local authorities, charities or the voluntary sector, investing in training helps ensure your teams are prepared to support those who need it most.

Thank you for being part of a growing movement committed to compassion, inclusion, and suicide prevention. 

To find out how to train with us, visit our training pages or contact us on training@mentalhealthlearning.co.uk to discuss your needs.

🌞 Finally…

Supporting others every day takes emotional energy. 

This summer, give yourself permission to:

🌿 Take regular breaks. 

🚶 Spend time outdoors where possible.

📱 Disconnect from work when you’re able. 

❤️ Connect with family, friends and the people who help refill your own cup.

The work you do changes lives—but you deserve care and support too.

As classrooms empty and routines change, let’s remember that mental health and safeguarding remain everyone’s responsibility. 

By staying connected, continuing conversations and investing in suicide prevention awareness, we can help ensure that no one feels alone over the summer.

From all of us, thank you for the compassion, dedication and commitment you show every day. 

We wish you a safe, restorative and well-deserved summer break. 🌞💛

Thank you for the work you do—and for continuing to be part of a community that cares.

With warm wishes,

Alice and the Mental Health Learning Team 🧠

💫 Happy New Year! 💫

Posted on by Alice Newton-Leeming

Issue 17 | January 2026

We hope you had a wonderful festive break! Whatever it looked like, however much you did or didn’t manage to do, we hope it was nourishing and restful. 

As we transition into a new year, it’s likely our minds and social media feeds are filled with pressure to make a change, to become a new and better version of ourselves. Maybe the narrative that we enjoyed ourselves too much and need to detox are creeping in… or maybe our insecurities were pointed out or highlighted when spending time with family or friends.

While we agree that starting the year with intention can be powerful, it can also be incredibly harmful if these intentions aren’t coming from the right place.

If we are beginning our year with intentions that come from shame or with unrealistic expectations, this can be damaging for our mental health and wellbeing, making it much harder to actually make positive and sustainable change.

We can also experience:

Social Comparison – Comparing our experiences to others via social media can be harmful. We often perceive others lives as ‘perfect’ or engage in a sense of competition, making us feel we are behind.

Reflection on the past – While the turning of the year gives us an opportunity to reflect, it can lead to dwelling on the past and contribute to feelings of failure.

Financial Stress – Maybe we overspent at Christmas, maybe we feel the pressure of this new start on our finances. It is important to set realistic goals and focus on learning lessons from previous financial setbacks.

Loneliness and Social Pressure – You may be feeling overwhelmed or lonely after the festive season which can exacerbate feelings of isolation.

With so much pressure, both internally and externally, it can be difficult to recognise when these resolutions are unrealistic or harmful… Here are just a few of the thought processes that can be damaging:

🏋️‍♀️ I need to transform myself.

Setting an intention to fully transform ourselves (i.e. by losing weight) can be overwhelming and often comes from a feeling of shame or self-disgust.

Instead, try setting smaller, accessible intentions such as eating more healthily or committing to exercising more often.

🏆 Success = Perfection

The expectation that we aren’t whole until we are perfect is unachievable. Perfection isn’t human, and expecting ourselves to achieve it can add unnecessary stress and pressure.

Instead, maybe your intention can be around learning to accept your imperfections and grow from these challenges, focusing on progress rather than perfection.

😁 Resolutions will lead to happiness.

Happiness isn’t something we can achieve overnight, and it doesn’t come from deciding to be happy. Happiness is a process and it is natural to experience ups and downs.

Instead, try setting realistic goals that contribute to your overall wellbeing, and trust that this will eventually bring some happiness into your life.

While there is a feeling of ‘fresh start’ energy in the air, remember there is no pressure to know what you want, or to force change that you’re not ready for or that isn’t healthy. Some of the most common resolutions in the UK are around diet, physical health and exercise, and while these are crucial to our wellbeing they shouldn’t be at detriment to our mental health.

If you do want to use this energy to make intentions, we would recommend:

📓 Reflecting on the past year with positivity

Take note of your achievements, and personal growth. Acknowledge lessons learned and use them to create positive goals.

🥅 Set realistic goals

Focus on small, achievable intentions and break them down into manageable steps.

🧘‍♀️ Practice mindfulness and gratitude

Introduce a mindfulness practice into your day, this could be meditation, deep breathing or a mindful walk. These activities can help reduce stress and improve wellbeing.

🫂 Connect with others

Prioritise social connections that make you feel good. Maybe this means joining new social groups or finding new communities who share your goals and interests.

We hope you can use this time to create positive and nourishing intentions if it calls to you, and if not, we hope you can relinquish the need to plan ahead!

Remember we’re just at the beginning, so there is still plenty of time.

With warm wishes,

Alice and the Mental Health Learning Team 🧠

Suicide Prevention Will Be Included in the National Curriculum

Posted on by Alice Newton-Leeming
The Government has changed the way children will be taught about relaitonshps, sex and health. For the first time, Suicide prevention will now be included in the national curriculum

📵 Children are increasingly exposed to content that can be harmful, including misogyny and unhealthy relationship dynamics, particularly online. Last week, the Government released new guidance on education around these topics with a focus on helping children and young people ‘identify positive role models and challenge harmful behaviours they might encounter online and in real life’. (Education Hub)

These changes will be mandatory for all schools to implement from 1 September 2025, and so the education our children receive around relationships, relationships and sex, and health will look different.

In order to prepare for these changes, the government also recommends for schools to train several members of staff trained in suicide prevention training.

So what’s changed?

🚨 Sexual harassment, stalking, revenge porn, sexism, deepfakes – all of these are now explicitly taught.

♂️ Misogyny and Incel culture – Students will learn to identify these & promote positive male role models.

👮 Strangulation is taught as a criminal offence – even without visible injury.

🔞 Age-appropriate flexibility – primary schools may teach PSHE topics to children in years 5/6+ if relevant to pupil’s experiences

🪪 Gender identity – guidance advises schools to remain neutral and to avoid simplifying gender or endorsing one ideological perspective

🧠 All schools should offer mental health support to some degree:

Primary – Focus on emotions, bullying and loneliness
Secondary – includes suicide prevention
Additional topics to include menstrual health, antimicrobial resistance, gambling, bereavement and parenting

⚠️ These new guidelines mark a positive shift in increasing awareness around modern harms and safeguarding for our children, and the addition of Suicide Prevention education for children of secondary school age and above marks a turning point.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for children and young people, and by introducing awareness there is a hope to prevent suicidality and provide greater support.

🚶‍♂️‍➡️🚶‍♂️‍➡️🚶‍♂️‍➡️

This change is a result of the Government’s consultation, but it has been brought about with the tireless efforts of Mike, Andy and Tim from 3 Dads Walking.

https://lnkd.in/em4DujT2

These men came together after losing their daughters to suicide, and began a four year campaign to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention services. They have walked more than 1,500 miles and raised over £1.5 million for PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide, as well as campaigning for national change and an increased awareness of suicide among young people.

This change in guidance is a huge success for the sector and for education, but an even bigger achievement for the 3 Dads. We want to join with the nation and the Suicide Prevention Sector to thank these men for their determination and effort.

hashtag#suicideprevention hashtag#3dadswalking hashtag#fshe hashtag#departmentofeducation hashtag#mentalhealthlearning

Alice and the Mental Health Learning Team 🧠

Social Factors and Suicide

Posted on by Alice Newton-Leeming

Suicide is the leading cause of death in men under 49 and women under 35. With a rise in mental ill-health and suicide, there is an ever increasing need for all individuals to understand how to spot signs of distress, effectively respond, and support a person in need. 

Mental Health Learning was founded in 2018 as a consultancy and training provider to support places of education and workplaces to help people to acquire this potentially life-saving knowledge. Our mission is to ensure that skills continue to grow amongst those who are most likely to see the signs of mental ill-health, self-harm, and thoughts of suicide. Our motivation is that our trainees can recognise these signs, then intervene to reduce harm in your place of education or workplace. 

In this post, we’ll be discussing how these factors can contribute to suicide risk, and we’ll be sharing resources and training, both for those in need of support, and for those who are working or living with people who may be at risk. 

Every life lost to suicide is a profound tragedy that sends ripples through families, communities, and society as a whole. Behind each statistic lies a human story — often shaped by social, economic, and environmental factors that go far beyond individual mental health. 

In March 2025, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health published a review of the social determinants of suicide, and this highlighted a number of factors that could contribute to a risk of suicide. 

This review challenges the idea that suicide risk is solely related to a persons mental health, and fills in the gaps in knowledge around other risk factors of suicide. Previous research has highlighted the role of social determinants of health on mental health, but their impact on suicide is less understood. 

The aim of the review was to look at the link between ten social determinants of health (as defined by the World Health Organisation) and suicide mortality. It found the following associations:

  • Unemployment, low income, debt, and economic downturns are significantly associated with increased suicide risk.
  • Generous social protection policies (e.g., unemployment benefits) may reduce suicide rates.
  • Low education and adverse working conditions (e.g., workplace violence, low job control) are associated with higher suicide risk.
  • Environmental factors such as high temperatures, air pollution, natural disasters, and rural residence can elevate suicide risk.
  • Childhood adversity (e.g., neglect or abuse) is also a notable contributor.

Suicide Prevention Advice & Help

 ⚠️If you’re worried about yourself, or if the content of this newsletter is distressing – you can access help using the resources below ⚠️

If you’re worried about someone in your community

Your intuition is the most powerful tool that could tell you if someone needs help. Even if you can’t put your finger on it but something is telling you that you ought to be concerned about someone, trust your instinct. 
You might not know what to say and you may be worried about what you should do if there is something serious, but reaching out to someone doesn’t mean you have to be the only one helping them. Quite often it’s the case that we just need someone to listen and talk to.
Some of the things you’ve noticed that might be causing you concern could be: 

Emotional outbursts 

A change in appearance

Withdrawing from you or others 

Isolating themselves where they previously didn’t 

A change in mood

Seemingly hopeless talk such as “there’s no point anymore”, “i feel so low”, or “nothing is getting any better” 

We all react to emotional distress in different ways so there could be other things you’ve noticed. 

Start a conversation – share what you’ve noticed and ask how they are. The most important thing you can do is listen. 

Empathise with their feelings, acknowledge their struggles. Don’t feel you have to try and fix what’s going on for them – showing you understand their problems will be more helpful. 

It’s important for them – and you – that they have a support network of individuals and services if needed. Explore who else they can share their feelings with and support them to talk to others if they don’t feel able to do this alone. 

Thoughts of suicide are not uncommon and can affect one in five adults in a lifetime. Ask about suicide clearly and directly: “Are you having thoughts of suicide?” You will not create feelings of suicide by doing this.

If you’d like further information or training in suicide prevention, don’t hesitate to reach out: Training@mentalhealthlearning.co.uk

Alice and the Mental Health Learning Team 🧠

Self Injury Awareness Day – Saturday 1st March 2025

Posted on by Alice Newton-Leeming

For over twenty years, March the first has been Self Injury Awareness Day, and it is marked by many mental health and support professionals, as well as individuals seeking to raise awareness of the prevalence of self harm.


” Awareness leads to understanding and empathy, banishing judgment and fear, and reducing the number of people who feel alone and suffer in silence. Raising awareness is about educating people who do not self-injure, and reaching out to people who do. “
Life Signs | Self Injury Awareness Day

What’s the difference between ‘self-harm and ‘self-injury?’

Self-injury refers to behaviours that are deliberately intended to inflict harm or damage to the body, and is often used as a coping mechanism to help deal with emotional pain. It often only provides temporary relief, but can be used to prove to a person that their pain is ‘real’, and often escalates in severity.

Self-harm is an umbrella term that can include self-injury, as well as other coping behaviours that cause harm to ourselves such as eating disorders, risk taking, drug or alcohol misuse.
At Mental Health Learning, we know all too well that the prevalence of self injury is getting worse. In 2024, the UK Government reported that the yearly rate of self-harm incidents in children and young people increased by 61% compared to the previous year (Gov.uk).

Despite this alarming increase, self-injury still carries a lot of stigma in our society, and stereotypes and judgements of those who self-injure are often preventing those who need help from reaching out for support. That’s why we think it is important to take this opportunity to address some of the myths around self-injury.

  1. Only women self-injure…
    Studies show that both men and women turn to self-injury as a coping behaviour.
  2. Self-injury is a ‘teenage white girl thing’…
    Statistics show that young people are likely to turn to self-injury, but this includes young people of all genders and ethnic groups.
  3. Young people self-injure and then grow out of it…
    Self-injury is not a result of immaturity. People of any age can find themselves turning to self-injury after trauma, during stress or to copy with distress, and this is a result of coping with more than they know how to manage.
  4. Self-injury is attention seeking…
    Those who self-injure are likely to suffer from shame and guilt over their actions. They may have hidden it before reaching out for help.
  5. Self-injury is manipulative behaviour…
    When a person is desperate, and feels that their control has been taken away, they may turn to anything they can to cope. Self-injury is a plea for help in coping with the overwhelming feelings a person is experiencing, and should be responded to with support.
    Life Signs | Self Injury Myths

This addresses just some of the myths around self-injury, but it is easy to see how these assumptions can be harmful to those who are using self-injury to cope with their distress.

These myths negate an understanding of the reasons behind self-injury, and will likely cause the person to feel shame, embarrassment and make them less likely to feel they can share their feelings or reach out for help. Without addressing the root cause of the distress, this cycle continues and is likely to lead to an escalation of the behaviour.


The best way to help a person who is self-injuring is to break this cycle and prevent future self-harming behaviours.

How You Can Help
It can be hard to know how to approach the subject of self-injury, or self-harm, especially if we notice behaviours in young people who may feel less able to share their feelings.

If you are a parent or caregiver, or an adult working with young people, here are a few things to remember that may be useful.

Ask clearly and directly.
The best way to start a conversation is to ask. This can be difficult to do, but it will likely enable the person who is suffering to talk openly and give them relief.

Let them know you are willing to listen to their feelings with compassion.
‘Sometimes when individuals are going through difficult things and feeling really distressed, they can hurt themselves on purpose to try and cope with that distress. I’ve noticed that you are going through some difficult things and seem really distressed. Do you ever hurt yourself on purpose?’

Acknowledge the persons response.
Validate their reasons why, listen to how self harm helps them, but discuss the possible dangers and talk about what they could try instead.

Mental Health Learning Courses

We know how hard it is to talk about self-harm and self-injury, as it brings up difficult feelings for everyone involved. We provide training courses that can enable constructive discussion about these difficult topics, and equip you with the skills and confidence to have these vital conversations; whether you work with people at risk of self-harm or want to be able to help those close to you.

An Introduction to Self-Harm
This session is designed to teach the facts and fundamentals of self-harm. You will learn how to sensitively respond to self-harm and find out what sources of support are available.
Participants will gain:
– An improved understanding of self-harm
– Knowledge of the facts around it
– Understanding of how to sensitively respond to self-harm
– Knowledge of what sources of support are available.

Recognising and Responding to Self-Harm
With an existing knowledge of the fundamentals of self-harm, this course goes on to teach a more thorough understanding of self-injury and the different underlying meanings it can have for each individual, including contributory factors.
Participants will have:
– A thorough understanding of self-harm and the different underlying meanings it can have for each individual
– A greater realisation of what can contribute to self harm
– What to look out for
– How to sensitively respond and react
– The support that can be provided

We hope that you will feel able to discuss mental health and self-harm with your communities, but if you do need some extra training and support, please do contact us to find out how we can help.

Alice and the Mental Health Learning Team 🧠