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James Donaldson on Mental Health – Suicide rates highest seen in 25 years, official figures show
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By Emma Wilkinson
Suicide should be treated as a public health crisis, a charity has warned after figures from the Office for National Statistics showed the highest rate since 1999.
Official figures show there were 6,069 suicides registered in England and Wales in 2023, compared with 5,642 the previous year.
It equates to 11.4 deaths per 100,000 people up from 10.7 deaths per 100,000 in 2022, the ONS said.
Suicide rates are highest among men, increasing from 16.4 deaths per 100,000 people to 17.4 last year, the figures show. But rates among females also increased to 5.7 deaths per 100,000 which is the highest figure since 1994.
The data also highlighted a stark north-south divide with the lowest rates in London at 7.3 deaths per 100,000 compared with the North-West which reported 14.7 per 100,000.
ONS head of data and analysis for social care and health Vahé Nafilyan said: ‘Rates increased across all age groups compared to 2022, especially among those aged 45 to 64 years.
‘Suicide rates either increased or remained unchanged in each of the nine English regions, but the North-West saw the largest rise.
‘Suicide leaves a devastating impact on individuals, families and communities, and we will continue to monitor suicide registrations, to support work to protect vulnerable people at risk.’
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
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Jacqui Morrissey, assistant director of influencing at Samaritans, said the shocking figures were ‘worse than expected’ and highlight that with suicide rates at their highest in over 20 years, this should be treated as a public health crisis.
She said: ‘Based on these figures, over 900 people will have died by suicide in the 55 days since the new government took power but while we immediately heard about plans for more wind turbines, it is suicide prevention that has been left blowing in the wind.
‘The Government needs to get its priorities straight because lives depend on it.
‘In particular, local areas must not be left scrabbling around for the funding they need to save lives, with a deadly north-south divide now opening up as rates in the North West hit twice that of London.
‘These figures are the final wakeup call: suicide is preventable but not without real action.’
A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘Every suicide is a tragedy and these figures show a clearly worrying trend, which this government is committed to reversing.
‘We know that people with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they need. That’s why we will fix our broken health system to ensure that we give mental health the attention and focus it deserves.
‘Alongside acting to improve mental health support, we will work across government to tackle the underlying causes of unequal health outcomes including suicide, across the country.’
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James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
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