84 Sculptures Appear On Top Of A Building In London To Bring Awareness To Male Suicide Problem
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On monday morning passersby in central London witnessed a shocking sight: 84 men standing on the edge of every ITV studio building as if they were about to leap to their deaths. Regardless of how realistic they may seem, these men aren’t human. In fact, they are lifelike figures made by artist Mark Jenkins as part of Project 84, a campaign that seeks to raise awareness of male suicide in the UK.
According to charity CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably), suicide is the leading cause of death among men under 40 in the UK. With this in mind, the charity created Project 84 which highlights the chilling statistics — on average 84 men in the UK commit suicide each week. Every figure perched on top of the ITV studio buildings represents a real man who committed suicide. The stories of these men have been told by their family and friends and are chronicled on the Project 84 website.
CALM strives to change the conversation regarding men and mental illness. Their goal is not only to assist the families who suffered a loss of a loved one, but also to get the government to be proactive. Despite the alarming statistics, there is no cabinet minister in the UK officially responsible for suicide prevention. CALM is trying to change that with an online petition which already has more than 10,000 signatures.
You can save lives by joining the conversation. Check out what else you can do on CALM’s website.
More info: projecteightyfour.com
In London, 84 men were noticed standing on the edge of every ITV studio
Image credits: CALM
Turns out, they are lifelike figures made by artist Mark Jenkins as part of Project 84
Image credits: PA
Project 84 is a campaign that seeks to raise awareness of male suicide in the UK
Image credits: CALM
According to charity CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably), suicide is the leading cause of death among men under 40 in the UK
Image credits: PA
Chilling statistics informs that on average 84 men in the UK commit suicide each week
Image credits: CALM
Every figure perched on top of the ITV studio buildings represents a real man who committed suicide
Image credits: CALM
CALM strives to change the conversation regarding men and mental illness
Image credits: REX
There is no cabinet minister in the UK officially responsible for suicide prevention. CALM is trying to change that with an online petition
Image credits: REX
This project encourages people to join the conversation about alarming male suicide rates. You can help too
Image credits: PA
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"on average 84 men in the UK commit suicide each week" - every week just in the UK?? That is both sad and alarming.
Mental illness is a huge problem, but abusive work is a huge cause of suicide as well. And the worst part is, whoever tries to speak up for their rights is shut down as "the lazy one who doesn't want to work". Here in Korea suicide rates are high too. Big hug to you, U.K.
no offence meant to you but i hate how high suicide rates are in Korea and how they deal with mental illness with general they act like its not their and something needs to be done about it
Don't worry, no offence taken. I agree the society is not focused enough on general mental health. They should change some laws, make mental health institutions more accessible and so on. There is some effort seen through campaign advertisements, but that's not enough.
the stereotype of a 'man' and what we should and shouldn't be, how we should feel and what we should do about it is so far from what is real, a strong mind can over come this, but even the strongest can succumb to dark thoughts, weak thoughts. It's ok to be weak, to cry, to have emotions, to not know what to do. It's ok to not be ok. This also applies to women, children, the elderly, all people everywhere, we're all in this together. Together.
But depression is not the result of having "weak thoughts". It's because a person's brain chemistry is off balance. It's because a person has a loss of synaptic connectivity that the normal brain has and of course we all know there are a multitude of other things going on there. I get what you're saying but to say it's the result of weak thoughts is really an unfortunate misconception that many people perpetuate.
Ah gotcha. I see. So I guess we're basically saying the same thing. So many times I've heard things like, "What has HE got to be depressed about? He's got everything!" People just don't seem to understand what depression really is. Thanks for the clarification.
You def have it right. Depression can be situational or clinical. I have clinical depression and have had it for many years now, it sucks. I remember when I didn't have it and I felt normal. I wouldn't take meds for several years cause of the social stigma of having a mental illness. Thought people would think I'm crazy or something. I was tested and found to actually lack the normal levels of serotonin in my brain, causing the clinical depression. Once I got on medicine and it started working, I had wondered why I resisted for so long!! It helps a lot! I try to advocate for antidepressants now for people who really do need them but don't want to for any reason, because of that and, well, cause I'm a pharmacist lol def part of my career lol But I am so glad to see the awareness that has come out within the last 10 years.
I know, I knew I'd word it wrong, I think from the outside that how people see it, I obviously have in my garbled comments, but from what I can gather (usually when it's related to celebrities it's explained in more detail) it can just be a switch, something goes and there's no saving someone. It's so dark and terrifying.
And I'm glad when I read comments like yours for people who speak up for it :) - couldn't fit that all in one post :P
"on average 84 men in the UK commit suicide each week" - every week just in the UK?? That is both sad and alarming.
Mental illness is a huge problem, but abusive work is a huge cause of suicide as well. And the worst part is, whoever tries to speak up for their rights is shut down as "the lazy one who doesn't want to work". Here in Korea suicide rates are high too. Big hug to you, U.K.
no offence meant to you but i hate how high suicide rates are in Korea and how they deal with mental illness with general they act like its not their and something needs to be done about it
Don't worry, no offence taken. I agree the society is not focused enough on general mental health. They should change some laws, make mental health institutions more accessible and so on. There is some effort seen through campaign advertisements, but that's not enough.
the stereotype of a 'man' and what we should and shouldn't be, how we should feel and what we should do about it is so far from what is real, a strong mind can over come this, but even the strongest can succumb to dark thoughts, weak thoughts. It's ok to be weak, to cry, to have emotions, to not know what to do. It's ok to not be ok. This also applies to women, children, the elderly, all people everywhere, we're all in this together. Together.
But depression is not the result of having "weak thoughts". It's because a person's brain chemistry is off balance. It's because a person has a loss of synaptic connectivity that the normal brain has and of course we all know there are a multitude of other things going on there. I get what you're saying but to say it's the result of weak thoughts is really an unfortunate misconception that many people perpetuate.
Ah gotcha. I see. So I guess we're basically saying the same thing. So many times I've heard things like, "What has HE got to be depressed about? He's got everything!" People just don't seem to understand what depression really is. Thanks for the clarification.
You def have it right. Depression can be situational or clinical. I have clinical depression and have had it for many years now, it sucks. I remember when I didn't have it and I felt normal. I wouldn't take meds for several years cause of the social stigma of having a mental illness. Thought people would think I'm crazy or something. I was tested and found to actually lack the normal levels of serotonin in my brain, causing the clinical depression. Once I got on medicine and it started working, I had wondered why I resisted for so long!! It helps a lot! I try to advocate for antidepressants now for people who really do need them but don't want to for any reason, because of that and, well, cause I'm a pharmacist lol def part of my career lol But I am so glad to see the awareness that has come out within the last 10 years.
I know, I knew I'd word it wrong, I think from the outside that how people see it, I obviously have in my garbled comments, but from what I can gather (usually when it's related to celebrities it's explained in more detail) it can just be a switch, something goes and there's no saving someone. It's so dark and terrifying.
And I'm glad when I read comments like yours for people who speak up for it :) - couldn't fit that all in one post :P