you can help someone with suicidal feelings, Mind is just one of the organisations offering support and on its website it states: "The main aspect of supporting someone through this is compassion, listening and most importantly not over-reacting or becoming upset. Remaining calm and talking the situation through is extremely important."
Suicide is the most common cause of death for men aged 20-49 years in England and Wales according to the Mental Health Foundation and part of the stigma that still exists about mental health for men is that men have greater difficulty talking about their own struggles than women do.
It's ok to talk
But when they do speak out it creates a positive, rippling effect as shown just the other week by chef Andi Walker.
He posted a tweet revealing his struggles with depression. In his accompanying message to the tweet, he voiced his concerns about him disclosing his battle with depression but the impetus behind his decision was seeing his friends struggle to the point where they felt that their only option was to do ‘the unthinkable’.
By sharing his story, Andi was hoping to encourage others who are also fighting their own battles against depression, anxiety and similar that ‘there is hope’.
Andi highlights that problems with mental health are rife within the hospitality industry, citing the stress and pressure that chefs (and other hospitality workers) put upon themselves.
His story was the most read article we published that week.
Just man up
The concept that mental health can be conquered by simply acting more “like a man” is misguided. For chefs, both male and female, they work in an environment where they are expected to 'just man up', there is little sympathy for a cold so an illness you can't see and which can be easily hidden is unlikely to gain empathy. UNLESS you talk to those around you about how you are feeling.
It is clear by the outpouring of tributes from chefs around the world for Anthony, that there are thousands if not millions of ears ready to listen.
Social media was awash with his pictures and quotes, Anna Haugh tweeted, 'It’s upsetting to discover their gone but also that they were deeply suffering in silence needs ' and one tweet really struck home:.
In just 56 words, Nick Grieves, the chef owner of The Patricia in Newcastle, and his team have delivered a message that kitchens and restaurants need to deliver to all their staff.
In these sad circumstances it is clear to see that this industry is a close one and Nick and the rest of the chefs who are mourning Mr Bourdain want those who are struggling to know, it's always worth speaking up, there's always someone to speak to and it may not be a quick fix but the first step is always the hardest.
