Colm Cullen: “Society has failed” those with mental health issues
Brother of popular beatboxer speaks out
Last updated 26th Sep 2018
The brother of a north Belfast beatboxer who took his own life earlier this year, has urged politicians to update Northern Ireland's suicide prevention strategy urgently.
Michael Cullen went missing in January and his body was found three weeks later, after a major search operation.
His brother Colm says Michael’s death left his family devastated:
“Just sadness and hopelessness, it was a complete shock.
“A lot of people…feel angry towards people who have taken their own life but it’s obviously what they thought was the only way to get rid of their pain.”
The 33-year-old had performed at gigs across Belfast, Dublin and London and was well known within musical circles.
Colm paid tribute to his older sibling:
“Michael was a beatboxer, he was a loveable person, someone you could count on, he was my best friend.”
On Friday, a mural of Michael was unveiled outside Thompsons to mark Belfast's culture night.
Updated figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency show suicide rates have increased in recent years and Colm says he does not want his brother to be remembered as a mere statistic:
“In 2017 305 people took their own lives.
“At the end of this year my brother’s going to be one of the people who took their life in 2018 and he’s going to be just a number.
“But to me everyone who’s taken their own life isn’t just a number because it’s someone’s son, someone’s brother, someone’s cousin and someone’s friend.”
Colm now works for mental health charity TAMHI helping to raise awareness of mental health issues and depression among footballers in Belfast.
The 22-year-old says the political stalemate here is costing lives:
“Do they (politicians) really care about people’s mental health in Northern Ireland?
“Because that (a suicide prevention strategy) would be the top priority if there was a normal human being in power in Northern Ireland.”
Through his work with TAMHI, Colm said suicide appears to be most prevalent among young men in Northern Ireland.
He said his brother was among those in distress and despair here who just did not know where to turn:
“Like a lot of people he just felt hopeless and just didn’t really know what to do any more.
“He probably thought the world was crumbling down on top of him.
“Even though he could have gone and asked people for help, it’s…the stigma surrounding mental health, means people don’t really want to talk.
“Within Northern Ireland now it’s…like everyone puts on a brave face…looking back now, you could tell there was something going on but at the time you didn’t know what to look out for.
“I think within Northern Ireland a lot of men tend to just think that they’re the men of the house, they can’t really show weakness.
“But by not opening up it just crumbles down on top of you.”
Colm told Downtown Cool FM the problem is reaching worrying levels here and urged policy makers to update the current suicide prevention strategy as a matter of urgency:
“There’s not enough being done for mental health within Northern Ireland.
“It’s almost on a daily basis whenever you go through facebook there’s teenagers talking about what’s the best antidepressants, society’s failed.
“I think all suicides would be preventable but there’s just not an awful lot of help.
“We’ve already failed there if there isn’t really the proper training put in place for doctors and nurses for mental health and there isn’t an awful lot put into it compared to other things they put money into.
“There may have been 305 deaths last year but then there could be more this year.”
The 22-year-old began his work in suicide prevention immediately after his brother’s death and had this message for anyone in crisis:
“I would say pain does end, with suicide it’s a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
“There is hope at the end of the tunnel, there is organisations like Lighthouse like PIPS like TAMHI that are there for people who need help.
“No matter what there is someone you can talk to.”
If you or someone you know is in distress or despair call the free-phone 24/7 crisis telephone and counselling service Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.
You can also access help with depression and other mental health issues through AWARE and Action Mental Health