Suicide and mental health

When Robin Williams took his own life on August 11, people across the world were shocked at this sudden and tragic loss. 

Newspapers were quick to uncover the details of his death and uncover what prompted a successful man to end his life. His publicist said he was “battling severe depression”, there was speculation that he was worried about money and his career. It was unclear if he was receiving medical treatment for his mental health problems.

Although suicide is always shocking and tragic, it is important to remember that people who take their own lives are relatively few in number. Statistics show that 4,841 suicides were recorded for people aged 15 and over in England and Wales in 2012. Of these, 62 were teachers (aged 20 to 64). And since January 2013, Teacher Support Network has received 71 calls out of more than 64,000 from people considering suicide.