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Source – Siobhan Fenton, The Independent Young gay and bisexual men are six times more likely to attempt suicide than older men, new research has suggested. The study, conducted by the London School of Tropical Medicine and funded by LGBT charity Stonewall, is based on analysis of 5,799 men living in the UK and has revealed a stark generational divide in the experiences of gay and bisexual men. It found that gay or bisexual men under the age of 26 are twice as likely to suffer from depression or anxiety and six times as likely to have attempted suicide or self-harm as men over the age of 45.

Paul Farmer, CEO of Mind, says media portrayals act as a lifeline, directing people to help. Soap operas and news reports about mental health can play a valuable role in increasing understanding of depression, anxiety and schizophrenia, and in encouraging people with problems to seek help, research has suggested. The mental health charity Mind organised a survey of more than 2,000 people, which found that half of the respondents who had seen a storyline involving a character with mental health problems said it had helped their understanding of the issues.

Source – BBC Girl Guides across the UK will be able to take a new badge in mental well-being and resilience from early April. The badge, “Think Resilient”, follows research showing nearly half of young women aged 17 to 21 in the UK have needed help with a mental health issue. Guides themselves helped design the programme which will be delivered by young women.