FREE now and never miss the top Royal stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Today marks World Suicide Prevention Day and comes with some harrowing statistics, particularly surrounding the male figures. It is believed men in the UK between the ages of 20 and 49 are more likely to take their own life rather than any other cause of death. The extremely complex and often misunderstood condition is thought to kill up to three times more men than women and with the call for men to speak out about their struggles, Channel 5 will air an extremely hard-hitting documentary this evening. Suicidal: In Our Own Words shows the stories of six men in the capital, who have turned to the Central and North-West London Mental Health Trust for help. They have all agreed to speak to cameras about their experience in a way that has never really been shown on television. The results of tonight’s show are extremely powerful. Just moments into the documentary, some extremely distressing stories are heard while the voiceover states how one in six men who attempt to take their own life, will try again within a year.

It’s extremely brave of Channel 5 to air the documentary, which also comes with an after-show, How You Can Help Stop Suicide, which delivers viewers with life-saving advice and help. In the documentary, the incredibly work offered by the NHS is on full show, as they face tough battles every day to save some of the country’s most vulnerable people. One case study sees Ron, 63, struggling with his mental health after his long-term wife, Jenny, is taken into a hospice as she copes with her terminal illness. He insists he doesn’t want to live without her, and when he comes close to taking his life, he turns to the Riverside Mental Health Centre, which is based in north west London. Thankfully, their expert care brings him to a place where he feels he can stay alive. The documentary shows men of all ages and backgrounds, showing suicide doesn’t discriminate, which is one of the main messages from the show. What’s more, there has been a real spotlight on trying to solve the issue of male suicide. Last year on World Suicide Prevention Day, ITV’s This Morning unveiled “Project 84”, where they partnered with CALM to highlight the growing statistics of male deaths. The show placed 84 statues on top of the old ITV studio building to represent the same number of men who would take their life every week. Sadly, as they reflected on the campaign earlier today, the number has risen to 94. Much has been made of the government’s response to the issue and just today, Minister for Mental Health Nadine Dorries has outlined a plan to help lower the statistics. The news came just after she wrote a touching story in The Times about her own experience with suicide, after her cousin took his own life.

Suicidal on Channel 5: Landmark documentary marks World Suicide Prevention Day in powerful way

Suicidal on Channel 5 explores why men take their own lives

Firstly, the government has set up a National Suicide Prevention Strategy is there to encourage those at risk to seek help. On top of this, every local area has a suicide prevention plan in place. The current Conservative cabinet has also offered £2million to the Zero Suicide Alliance to support the NHS service with its work in the community. The minister has also promised to invest £25million to support local areas over the next three years. Critics have said it’s not enough, but at least the conversation is happening. What’s more, high profile celebrities have started to open up, helping the cause.

Earlier in the month, radio broadcaster Iain Lee spoke at a recent screening of Suicidal, discussing the time he attempted to take his own life. Thankfully, Iain came out the other side and revealed he is happier than he has been for a long time. Iain told press: “I’m in a really good place at the moment, I’m happy for the first time in a long, long time. I’ve had two months of actually being happy. “I’m in the longest period of sustained happiness I’ve ever been in, I’m in love, I love my kids - one can be happy. I’ve learnt coping mechanisms: I mediate, go for a walk - little tricks that work for me - read a book.

Suicidal on Channel 5 explores men of different backgrounds

Suicidal on Channel 5 airs this evening at 9.15pm