SUNDAY NIGHT SLIDES

***polite notice that the following mentions loss and suicide***

It's not something I talk about too often, and some of you may not know, but my time working within mental health care and studying psychiatric nursing shaped my adult life experience in many ways for which I'm grateful for.

Making a hefty contribution to who I am as a person.

One of the men responsible for my personal development during this time was a Staff Nurse leading the admissions ward named James Tyson, who I shadowed during my placements.

James's ever-glowing warmth and selfless compassion for those within his duty of care taught me, indelibly, that I have the power of light within me to move someone through darkness.

As we all do.

His strength at times of extreme pressure, when the livelihoods of others was within his control and depended on his decisions, was inspiring to say the least. But what was the underlying effect?

This week, James took his own life. And it saddens me to the core that this was his only way out of internal despair. James is survived by his family, wife and child who's approaching their first birthday.

Gutted.

How can a man, who's vocation in life was supporting those suffering through mental pain, be bereft of his own best practice?

I've seen first hand the devastation this causes and cannot accept that this is an insurmountable problem perpetually plaguing men, in particular.

We must work harder.

Not only do we need to proactively embrace the discomfort of talking about what's concerning us inside (often beyond our own interpretation) but – as allies in this battle – we must also learn how to openly receive these types of messages and shine light on the darkness when called upon to be a safe haven.

I'll be calling upon a small team of specialists to help produce some helpful resources on this subject very soon.

Until then, once again, please check in on someone you haven't done for a while today, just to see how they're doing.

Charlie

---

FEATURED SLIDE

'A Guiding Light'

FINAL THOUGHTS 💭

In memory of Josh Taylor ❤️