Understanding the Impact of Suicide: Insights from Will Vaulks
The emotional toll of suicide can be profound, often leaving families shattered and communities in mourning. Will Vaulks, a professional footballer with Oxford United, knows this pain all too well. His two grandfathers took their lives within an 18-month span when he was just a teenager. Their tragic decisions left a lasting imprint on his family and inspired him to raise awareness about one of the most pressing issues affecting mental health today.
The Personal Impact of Loss
At the tender age of 13, Vaulks experienced the heart-wrenching loss of his paternal grandfather, Tom, who died at 67 after battling depression. It was a tumultuous period for his family, marked by confusion and grief. Six months before his death, Tom had attempted suicide, a desperate act that Vaulks later understood as a manifestation of his deeper emotional struggles.
Just as his family was beginning to process this loss, Vaulks faced another devastating blow. His maternal grandfather, Hywel, took his life at 78, just a day after watching Vaulks play a youth football match. This sequence of events left an indelible mark on Vaulks, who describes the aftermath as akin to a bomb going off within his family.
Statistics underscore the severity of the issue. In the UK alone, recent government figures indicate that over 4,377 individuals died by suicide in a year, averaging 12 deaths daily. Suicide remains the leading cause of death among men under 50 and women under 35, surpassing other causes such as heart disease and cancer.
Challenging the Stigma Surrounding Mental Health
Despite the alarming statistics, suicide remains a taboo topic. Vaulks is determined to break this silence. He highlights the need for more open discussions about mental health, stating, “We talk about cancer research and the need to learn CPR, but suicide gets forgotten.” His goal is to ensure that mental health is no longer overlooked, urging individuals to take proactive steps to support those in need.
The “You’re Not Alone” campaign, launched to facilitate discussions around mental health, emphasizes that every 90 minutes, someone in the UK dies by suicide. The campaign aims to educate people about the signs of distress and encourage conversations that could save lives.
Recognizing the Signs and Taking Action
Vaulks emphasizes the importance of vigilance when it comes to mental health. He encourages individuals to look for behavioral changes in friends and loved ones, as these could indicate that someone is struggling. “If you notice a slight change in your friend or someone you don’t speak to often, just ask again, ‘No, really, how are you?’” he suggests. This simple act of checking in can make a world of difference.
Moreover, he highlights the urgency of timely intervention. With mental health services often overwhelmed, many individuals wait months for help, sometimes with tragic consequences. Vaulks advocates for increased accessibility to mental health resources, stressing that prevention is always better than cure.
Community and Support: A Collective Responsibility
The emotional devastation caused by suicide extends beyond the individual, affecting families, friends, and entire communities. Vaulks poignantly notes, “The burden you leave by taking your own life is 100-fold for those you leave behind.” His message is clear: no one is a burden, and there are people who care and want to help.
Will Vaulks’s commitment to combating the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide is reflected in his partnership with the suicide prevention charity, Baton of Hope. This initiative aims to train players and staff in suicide prevention, fostering an environment where mental health is prioritized.
By sharing his personal experiences, Vaulks hopes to inspire others to speak out and seek help. He believes that fostering a culture of openness and support can save lives, encouraging everyone to check in on one another, even in casual settings.
In an era where mental health issues are increasingly recognized, the challenge remains to create a society where individuals feel safe discussing their struggles. Through personal stories like Vaulks’s and community initiatives, we can work towards a future where mental health is prioritized, and lives are saved.