Support for men

Men in rural communities less likely to seek support amid struggles

Less than half of men in rural areas say they are likely to reach out for support when they are struggling to cope, a new survey from Samaritans has discovered.

The country’s leading suicide prevention charity is launching a fresh drive to raise awareness amongst men in these environments to let them know they do not need to face things alone.

The findings come as Samaritans Scotland launches a new phase of its Real People, Real Stories campaign, supported by The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust and Scottish Government, which aims to reach men in rural communities who are struggling to cope, in order to prevent them reaching crisis point.

Men are almost three times more likely to die by suicide than women in Scotland, with men accounting for over 70% of deaths by suicide in Scotland consistently since the mid-1980s (National Records of Scotland 2021).

Samaritans research found that just 43 per cent of men in rural areas of the UK indicated they would reach out for assistance in difficult times, compared to 51 per cent in urban areas.

Two-thirds of men living in rural areas (66%) also said there are a variety of factors that would stop them reaching out for support even if they were struggling. Samaritans discovered the top three barriers are: stigma around mental health (18%), not knowing who to turn to (15%) and lack of awareness of the support available (15%).

With high suicide rates in some parts of remote and rural Scotland – and males making up over 70 per cent of those taking their own life in Scotland - it’s important that men in those areas know there is always someone on hand to listen, Rachel Cackett, Executive Director of Samaritans Scotland said.

“The reasons for suicide and personal struggles are complex, going beyond simply where you live or what profession you are in. But these can be contributing factors.

“The increased risk factors for those living in remote and rural settings, such as poor access to services, isolation and persistent loneliness, mean it’s essential for us all to do more to reach people in these environments.

“Our previous research found that men did not receive support early enough in their lives, and that opportunities to engage them were missed.

“By giving men a platform to share their own stories of hope in getting through their own struggles, we are underlining that if you are a man struggling, you really are not alone.

“We hope this new Real People, Real Stories campaign will raise awareness of the support that’s out there. And encourage more people to seek help early on, so that we can continue the drive to reduce suicide rates across the country.

The Scottish Government is also supporting a specific Real People, Real Stories campaign in the West Highlands and Skye which aims to create awareness and behavioural change.

West Highlands and Skye sits within a region which has the second-highest suicide rate in Scotland (National Records of Scotland 2021). Its isolation and remoteness only increases the need to engage men in its communities in order to signpost the help available.

“It is important that people reach out,” said David, a volunteer for Samaritans who is based on the Knoydart Peninsula, near Mallaig.

“I’ve always had that ability to talk to people, whether that’s friends or family, about what I’m going through. But without that support, who knows where I’d be now? “I was struggling in my life, and I’d been through a difficult relationship and I isolated myself. “Well, it was almost a wakeup call. I realised that it wasn’t going well and after a few months that I needed to change things. And by reaching out to my sister and talking about it, that changed things for me. And she was sort of my personal Samaritan if you like. “But I realise not everybody’s got that. Men particularly find it difficult to talk about what’s going on in their life and emotions. You know, if somebody can just reach out to somebody else, just to talk to somebody about how they’re feeling, I think they’ll really feel the benefit of that.”

Perthshire-based farmer and Chair of NFU Mutual Jim McLaren MBE, said: “Loneliness, isolation and feelings of anxiety are on the rise.

“Many farmers experience pressure to make sure the business is performing effectively and bringing a decent standard of living for themselves, their family and in many cases their staff and employees.

“These issues are not all unique to farming. But farmers very often feel a stigma around speaking about these issues and that’s something we’ve very keen to overcome. Seeking help should never be seen as a weakness.”

He added: “Supporting communities has always been at the very heart of NFU Mutual’s approach, and the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust is one of the main ways NFU Mutual provides charitable donations.

“We’re proud to be supporting Real People, Real Stories, raising awareness of the support Samaritans offer around the clock. Finding a safe, nonjudgmental space to explore their feelings could be a person’s first step on their journey to looking after their recovery.”

The Scottish Government’s Minister for Mental Wellbeing & Social Care, Kevin Stewart, said: “The Scottish Government is pleased to support this vitally important work by the Samaritans to reach out to men in rural communities, and in doing so to raise awareness of the support that is available. We know how powerful it can be to hear the stories of people who have had similar life experience.

“This work will help to provide real hope and reassurance to those who are struggling that they are not alone and that there is help available to them. The Real People, Real Stories campaign will help to reduce stigma and promote more understanding of suicide in our society, and most importantly will encourage people to talk.”

Chair of NFU Mutual Jim McLaren MBE

You can call Samaritans for free 24/7 on 116 12 or visiting samaritans.org for online self-help tools and information.