How You Can Help by Voting for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) works to help reduce the rates of male suicide in the UK, and has won awards for their passion for stopping the biggest killer for men under 45 years old. Their aim is to make life less miserable for you and everyone in your life. They strive to understand exactly how men think, feel, behave and experience the world, so that we can reach them on their own terms and on their own turf. They actively reject living miserably to embrace and celebrate all interpretations of masculinity.
Every day, an average of 12 men commit suicide in the UK and 3 our of 4 suicide victims are men. Of men who are under 45 in the UK, more than 4 in 10 have contemplated taking their own life, but fewer than half these men told anyone how they were feeling. Just over half of all men who have ever had depression have told someone about it, compared to 67% of women. 84% of men say they bottle up their emotions.
CALM takes an active and positive approach to changing this unacceptable picture:
- They run a free helpline 0800 585858 and webchat (5pm–12am daily), which are confidential, anonymous and staffed by trained professionals.
- They support those bereaved through the Support After Suicide Partnership, hosted by CALM.
- theCALMzone.net is CALM’s website, hosting inspiring content written by men for men alongside information and support.
- They also work to help change cultural attitudes and discuss masculinity in society, so that less men need their services when in crisis, such as #Project84.
- CALM’s helpline and webchat services directly prevented 427 suicides in 2017. Since CALM was founded in 2006, awareness of male suicide has quadrupled and currently sits at 45% nationally. CALM supports in excess of 6,000 contacts on the helpline and webchat each month
£8 can answer one potentially life-saving call. Visit the CALM Website to find out more about this worthy cause.