Campaigner’s concern at TV suicide story
. . BUT CONCEDES CORRIE DEATH ‘A START’
A WOMAN whose son took his own life has spoken of the recent Coronation Street suicide storyline.
The ITV soap showed the tragic aftermath of male suicide in harrowing scenes aired yesterday as character Aidan Connor kills himself.
Viewers will not see any element of his death but will see Aidan’s father find his son’s body in his flat after he fails to turn up to work.
Aidan, played by former X Factor winner Shayne Ward, featured in his final scene yesterday, showing him sitting alone in his flat.
Shirley Smith, from Great Lumley, County Durham, lost her son Daniel O’Hare in 2005 when the 19-year-old unexpectedly took his own life.
The 52-year-old channelled her grief into starting the If U Care Share Foundation with her two other sons, and now supports those affected by suicide.
She welcomed the topic being brought into the spotlight but feels it should have been done differently.
Speaking about the storyline, Shirley said: “I think awareness to suicide is an extremely important issue but I would have liked to have seen, instead, an attempt and then recovery.
“They could have shown what could be done to prevent that death. That would have been more powerful but this sort of thing does happen and there’s no getting away from that.
“It could have been more positive to see that recovery.”
Daniel was a well-known young man with a bright future when he took his life without warning.
His mum, along with brothers Matthew, 23, and Ben, 18, now work at the foundation helping families affected by suicide, and hoping to stop it happening in some cases.
Shirley added: “Daniel’s death was preventable. If this can help one other family, that’s great. We have an amazing team here. We’re trying to change that outcome – it’s always preventable.”
But Shirley is hopeful that the episode will begin a conversation. She said: “There’s a huge stigma so it’s a starting point.”
However, others have applauded the storyline.
Caroline Warburton, director of the Samaritans Newcastle branch, said: “We’re very pleased that a major soap is covering a story like this, and just showing how depression can affect people and can, in some cases, lead them to take their lives.
“It’s increasing awareness of, particularly, male suicide and things that can lead to that and looking for the signs that someone is really suffering.
“It’s a national problem and something that has statistically been rising. In the North East, we sadly have the second highest rate in the country. We used to have the highest, so at least it’s going down.”
Caroline said they were expecting a surge in calls after the episode aired on Monday, and is encouraging it.
She added: “It almost certainly will increase calls and we are already very busy, but that is what we are here for.”
If you need to speak to someone you can call the Samaritans’ 24-hour confidential helpline on 116 123. You can also email them on jo@samaritans.org or text on 07725 909090. And you can find the Newcastle branch, which is open 9am-9pm every day, at 15 Portland Terrace, NE2 1QQ.
If you have been affected by suicide, or would like to get involved with If U Care Share, email share@ ifucareshare.co.uk or call the office on 0191 387 5661. You can visit the website at www.ifucareshare.co.uk