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An islander who lost his brother to suicide is working with a charity to break the silence around what is still a "very stigmatised" way to die and pushing to ensure anyone suffering with serious mental illness can find help as easily as possible.
To mark World Suicide Prevention Day, Jason Gleave and founder of Focus on Mental Illness Stephen McCrimmon urged islanders to engage in open and honest conversations about suicide and mental illness.
"We really need to make asking for help as accessible as possible, and need to reduce any barriers that could stand in the way of this," said Mr McCrimmon.
"It's about raising awareness and making things as easy as possible for someone to take that first step to go to their GP."
Focus on Mental Illness, co-founded by Mr McCrimmon in 2020, works to support islanders affected by severe mental health conditions such as psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and severe depression.
"This is a group that statistically is much higher risk than the general population," the mental health expert explained.
Focus on Mental Illness also aims to raise awareness about these conditions and to lift the stigma that surrounds them by having affected islanders learn from people with lived experience.
Picutred: Stephen McCrimmon, co-executive director at Focus on Mental Illness (James Jeune).
This peer-led approach, Mr McCrimmon believes, will help to dismantle the barriers that prevent people from seeking help while also facilitating difficult conversations about suicide.
"End of life by suicide is often a complex and still very stigmatised way to die," Mr McCrimmon explained.
"It's important to understand that there can be many factors which lead someone to take their own life.
"It takes an awful lot to make that first step forward and ask for help when you start to have thoughts that scare you."
When asked about how to approach someone you are worried about, Mr McCrimmon said it is crucial to be present, listen actively, and create a trusting environment where the person feels comfortable opening up.
"You won't put the idea of suicide in someone's head by mentioning it," he said.
"It's important to be honest, tell them what you've noticed, and ask if they need help."
One person who has experienced the impact of suicide first-hand is Jason Gleave, a volunteer with Focus on Mental Illness.
Mr Gleave lost his brother to suicide 30 years ago after a long struggle with schizophrenia.
For years, Mr Gleave struggled to discuss his experience but has since found his voice through the charity and by coming to terms with what happened.
"I couldn't cope discussing it. I couldn't cope experiencing it again. But I'm now really energised by being able to talk about it," he said.
Mr Gleave has since become an advocate for suicide prevention and wants to encourage people to seek professional support if they start to experience dark thoughts.
He said: "My brother was a wonderful human being, and it was an illness that killed him."
"I'm very proud of my brother, and I'd like to think that he'd be proud of me for trying to make a difference."
Mr Gleave's journey from silence to advocacy is reflective of the change that Focus on Mental Illness hopes to inspire in the wider community.
"I think it's incredibly important to have discussions. It's incredibly important to have that discussion around the table. Have that discussion with your family," Mr Gleave said. "It prompts people being able to talk about it."
Reflecting on his experience, Mr Gleave explained: "There was little understanding in the community at the time... It's a subject that was not wished to be discussed.
"It was so different to how it would be addressed today, but equally, there are still people nowadays that need support and need to understand that you can talk about these things."
"It is a serious issue in the community, and there is a serious risk of many, many people taking their own lives in Jersey.
I'm delighted that there are things like Suicide Awareness Week. It's wonderful to be able to talk about the subject.
"But fundamentally, the situation is going to be exactly the same the week after the Awareness Week, unless we really start creating some change."
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Anyone affected by any of the issues raised in this article or our World Suicide Prevention Day coverage can seek help from the following services:
Focus on Mental Illness: telephone 07797 710900 or email info@focusmi.org
The Listening Lounge (by appointment only): call 01534 866793
MIND Jersey: call 07829 933929, or access the drop-in service on Seale Street (Monday-Friday from 09:00-16:00)
The Samaritans: call 01534 116123
Adult Mental Health Crisis Line (open 24/7 for emergencies): call 01534 445290
Liberate: seek help via its online application form
Several charities are also marking World Suicide Prevention Day with a range of initiatives aimed at raising awareness and promoting dialogue.
Mind Jersey is delivering suicide awareness workshops, starting with sessions for the Alex Picot Trust and clients from various organisations. In the coming weeks, the charity will extend these workshops to clients in the care, retail, and finance sectors. Additionally, Mind Jersey runs a fortnightly carers support group at Pip's Place on Union Street, offering support to those caring for loved ones with mental illness, including discussions around suicide.
Man Club is hosting a virtual group discussion featuring Thrive Jersey Co-Founder Andrew Le Seelleur and Rob Mason, who lost his 14-year-old daughter Kezia in 2022. The discussion will cover personal experiences with suicidal thoughts, recovery journeys, advice on supporting those with mental health challenges, and how perspectives on life evolve after such experiences. This conversation is part of a broader series for Suicide Prevention Month, with clips to be shared throughout September on Man Club’s social media channels.
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