London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Nov 11, 2025

'Dear men of London, it's okay to admit if you're feeling lonely'

'Dear men of London, it's okay to admit if you're feeling lonely'

Being surrounded by people doesn't always stop you feeling like you're alone, says mental health first aider Richard Duggan. In a city like London it can feel like you never get a minute to yourself.
Even when you're surrounded by huge crowds in the street or boisterous colleagues in the office you can still feel incredibly alone.

Having a mental illness can be very isolating, particularly for men who don't always feel like they can open up.

In the UK, the highest suicide rate is among men aged 45 to 49 and men are three times as likely to die by suicide than women, according to the Samaritans.

The rate of deaths among under 25s increased by 23.7 per cent, reaching 730 deaths in 2018.

Looking at rates of suicide by English region, the lowest rate was London in 2017, according to the Office of National Statistics.

There were 7.7 deaths per 100,000 that year. But one death to suicide is too many.

The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and the cause of 18 deaths every day.

It urges men to talk about their feelings, to reach out when they need help and not to feel ashamed if they're living with poor mental health.

Many men feel they aren't "manly" for talking about their emotions or what's going on in their minds.

To speak about feeling low, sad, anxious, depressed or even suicidal is seen as a sign of weakness.

This could not be further from the truth.

There's a lot less stigma around speaking about mental health now; that's partly down to the work of the charities previously mentioned and a number of high profile celebrities talking publicly about their own struggles.

But it's also thanks to ordinary people who've been brave and confided in someone about how they're feeling, breaking down stereotypes one conversation at a time.

Several months ago I opened up publicly for the first about my own struggles with mental health and how talking about my depression saved me from taking my own life.

Although I felt incredibly nervous about sharing my own story, I hoped that in speaking out it would make a difference to someone out there who was in crisis.

The conversations I had with those I was close to at the darkest time in my life were incredibly painful - not just for myself but for my family and friends too.

But now they have a much clearer understanding of how I reached that dark stage in my life and how they can help support me going forward.

It's so important we keep the conversation about mental health going, not just on World Mental Health Day, but every single day.

So please, if you're a man in London who's having a hard time with his mental health, just know you are not alone, not really.

There's nothing wrong with feeling lonely. What's wrong is not feeling you can ask for help, because you can.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK and Germany Sound Alarm on Russian-Satellite Threat to Critical Infrastructure
Former Prince Andrew Faces U.S. Congressional Request for Testimony Amid Brexit of Royal Title
BBC Director-General Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness Resign Amid Editing Controversy
Tom Cruise Arrives by Helicopter at UK Scientology Fundraiser Amid Local Protests
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Face Fresh UK Probes Amid Royal Fallout
Mothers Link Teen Suicides to AI Chatbots in Growing Legal Battle
UK Government to Mirror Denmark’s Tough Immigration Framework in Major Policy Shift
UK Government Turns to Denmark-Style Immigration Reforms to Overhaul Border Rules
UK Chancellor Warned Against Cutting Insulation Funding as Budget Looms
UK Tenant Complaints Hit Record Levels as Rental Sector Faces Mounting Pressure
Apple to Pay Google About One Billion Dollars Annually for Gemini AI to Power Next-Generation Siri
UK Signals Major Shift as Nuclear Arms Race Looms
BBC’s « Celebrity Traitors UK » Finale Breaks Records with 11.1 Million Viewers
UK Spy Case Collapse Highlights Implications for UK-Taiwan Strategic Alignment
On the Road to the Oscars? Meghan Markle to Star in a New Film
A Vote Worth a Trillion Dollars: Elon Musk’s Defining Day
AI Researchers Claim Human-Level General Intelligence Is Already Here
President Donald Trump Challenges Nigeria with Military Options Over Alleged Christian Killings
Nancy Pelosi Finally Announces She Will Not Seek Re-Election, Signalling End of Long Congressional Career
UK Pre-Budget Blues and Rate-Cut Concerns Pile Pressure on Pound
ITV Warns of Nine-Per-Cent Drop in Q4 Advertising Revenue Amid Budget Uncertainty
National Grid Posts Slightly Stronger-Than-Expected Half-Year Profit as Regulatory Investments Drive Growth
UK Business Lobby Urges Reeves to Break Tax Pledges and Build Fiscal Headroom
UK to Launch Consultation on Stablecoin Regulation on November 10
UK Savers Rush to Withdraw Pension Cash Ahead of Budget Amid Tax-Change Fears
Massive Spoilers Emerge from MAFS UK 2025: Couple Swaps, Dating App Leaks and Reunion Bombshells
Kurdish-led Crime Network Operates UK Mini-Marts to Exploit Migrants and Sell Illicit Goods
UK Income Tax Hike Could Trigger £1 Billion Cut to Scotland’s Budget, Warns Finance Secretary
Tommy Robinson Acquitted of Terror-related Charge After Phone PIN Dispute
Boris Johnson Condemns Western Support for Hamas at Jewish Community Conference
HII Welcomes UK’s Westley Group to Strengthen AUKUS Submarine Supply Chain
Tragedy in Serbia: Coach Mladen Žižović Collapses During Match and Dies at 44
Diplo Says He Dated Katy Perry — and Justin Trudeau
Dick Cheney, Former U.S. Vice President, Dies at 84
Trump Calls Title Removal of Andrew ‘Tragic Situation’ Amid Royal Fallout
UK Bonds Rally as Chancellor Reeves Briefs Markets Ahead of November Budget
UK Report Backs Generational Smoking Ban Ahead of Tobacco & Vapes Bill Review
UK’s Domino’s Pizza Group Reports Modest Like-for-Like Sales Growth in Q3
UK Supplies Additional Storm Shadow Missiles to Ukraine as Trump Alleges Russian Underground Nuclear Tests
High-Profile Broodmare Puca Sells for Five Million Dollars at Fasig-Tipton ‘Night of the Stars’
Wilt Chamberlain’s One-of-a-Kind ‘Searcher 1’ Supercar Heads to Auction
Erling Haaland’s Remarkable Run: 13 Premier League Goals in 10 Matches and Eyes on History
UK Labour Peer Warns of Emerging ‘Constituency for Hating Jews’ in Britain
UK Home Secretary Admits Loss of Border Control, Warns Public Trust at Risk
President Trump Expresses Sympathy for UK Royal Family After Title Stripping of Prince Andrew
Former Prince Andrew to Lose His Last Military Title as King Charles Moves to End His Public Role
King Charles Relocates Andrew to Sandringham Estate and Strips Titles Amid Epstein Fallout
Two Arrested After Mass Stabbing on UK Train Leaves Ten Hospitalised
Glamour UK Says ‘Stay Mad Jo x’ After Really Big Rowling Backlash
Former Prince Prince Andrew Faces Possible U.S. Congressional Appearance Over Jeffrey Epstein Inquiry
×