SUICIDES in Scotland have fallen by 19% in the last decade, according to new statistics.
A BBC Panorama documentary, A Suicide in the Family, shown yesterday, has highlighted the national differences between suicide rates.
More than 6,000 people died by suicide in the UK and the Republic of Ireland in 2013, the latest year for which the Office for National Statistics has released figures. Suicides in the UK rose by four per cent in 2013.
Middle-aged men in the UK and the Republic of Ireland are three times more likely to kill themselves than women.
Scotland’s statistics proved promising, with suicides falling almost 20% in ten years.
The Scottish Government’s Choose Life strategy was tasked with reducing suicides by 20 per cent over a ten year period from 2004 to 2014.
Joe Ferns, Samaritans’ Executive Director of Policy, Research and Development, said: “Samaritans is keen to encourage more men to reach out for help, and create a culture where they will feel more comfortable doing so.
“We hope that this programme will encourage men to talk about the issues they are struggling with. We also want to raise awareness of the valuable support available, such as Samaritans.
“We are here round the clock, every single day of the year for anyone who needs to talk about whatever is getting to them. “
