Prince William implores men to talk about mental health
Prince William has urged more men to talk openly about their mental health after opening a suicide prevention centre in Birmingham on Monday (11.05.26).
Prince William has called for more men to talk openly about their mental health.
The Prince of Wales opened James' Place Birmingham - a centre that works to help prevent male suicides - on Monday (11.05.26) and expressed hope that the charity would be able to open more facilities around the UK in order to tackle the mental health crisis.
William - who has previously opened the charity's centres in London, Liverpool and Newcastle - said: "The team here is fantastic.
"I hope we can get more of you around the UK, because it is need of it sadly.
"We need to talk more about suicide, talk more about preventing and talk about getting it to young men and women earlier, so we don't have to have these centres in the very long run.
"That is the aim."
James' Place was founded by the parents of James Wentworth-Stanley, who took his own life at the age of 21 nearly 20 years ago after experiencing severe anxiety following a minor operation.
His parents are determined to help prevent other families from losing the men they love.
Marcus Davies, a trustee at the charity, expressed hope that William's visit can help inform more men about the charity - which works to provide "rapid, professional therapy to men that addresses the root causes of suicidal crisis".
He said: "I think for that publicity, his reach and the audience that he can reach through his status and who he is, I think that's just critical to getting that message far and wide.
"I had never heard of James' Place prior to my GP referring me. It's so important that men know that it is there and available as a service to help those that need it.
"The more far and wide that message can be delivered, the better - and he has the scope to be able to do that."
Mental health is an issue that is close to William's heart and he previously described how it has taken him time to "understand (his) emotions".
The 43-year-old royal told BBC Radio 1 earlier this year: "I take a long time trying to understand my emotions and why I feel like I do, and I feel like that's a really important process to do every now and again, to check in with yourself and work out why you're feeling like you do.
"Sometimes there's an obvious explanation, sometime there isn't. I think that idea that mental health crisis is temporary - you can have a strong mental health crisis moment but it will pass."
