Suicide Risk for Midlife Women - Why So Many Women Are Struggling With Poor Mental Health

This week is World Suicide Prevention Day and hopefully there will be lots of media coverage in encouraging a "Change in the Narrative" - to make conversations about this issue more commonplace. This in turn helps to reduce the stigma and smash the silence and makes it easier for people to ask for help. 

You may have seen media coverage in recent times talking about the high number of male suicide deaths and men's mental health in general, which is definitely something that needs attention, but we have not seen anywhere near the same attention given to midlife women and the challenges that they might be silently struggling with during midlife; the chapter of peri menopause, becoming the sandwich generation, caring for ageing parents and other elders, whilst still keeping an eye on adult children and even grandchildren. 

Once you stop and look at the research you will see some shocking statistics - indeed the majority of deaths by suicide are male, but what about the significant number of suicide attempts made by women all over the world? Do attempts not matter so much? Should we not be paying as much attention to PREVENTION for everyone seeing as suicide does not discriminate? 

In this episode I am exploring the intersectionality of factors for midlife women that might explain the statistics behind sucide thoughts and attempts in midlife. I hope you will find it thought provoking and informative and that through conversations like this learn that we can ALL  make a difference - for a person in crisis as well as for ourselves as women.