The National Men’s Lived Experience of Suicide Network builds on work from the Roses in the Ocean Lived Experience of Suicide Summit of 2021. The Australian Men’s Health Forum (AMHF) was invited to co-chair a session with Roses in the Ocean specifically focusing on male suicide. At that LE Summit, the Network was established as one small way in which we can do our bit to address the concerning fact that 75% of suicides in Australia are by males.
The National Men’s Lived Experience of Suicide Network (NMLESN) is primarily an online forum, meeting bi-monthly. We may occasionally meet at conferences or other events where there is likely to be representation. The Network will provide connection, learning, and opportunities to contribute to suicide prevention policy and program development.
Michael Wilson is the next guest speaker on April 26 from 6pm-7/30pm AEST via zoom. Michael is a researcher focused on men’s mental health and suicide prevention, based with Orygen at the University of Melbourne. Since 2018 he has worked across a number of projects focused on adolescent masculinity, improving training for mental health practitioners around engaging and responding to help-seeking men, and understanding risk and protective factors associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviours in men.
His current PhD research focuses on understanding men’s risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours following relationship breakdown. He is passionate about amplifying the stories surrounding men’s experiences of help-seeking and recovery from suicidality, alongside ensuring better representation of diverse groups of men in suicide prevention research.
