Legal News

An A&E nurse whose son committed suicide without his family having any inkling that he was suffering from chronic depression is supporting another family’s call for mental health education to become part of the school curriculum.

The Daily Mail reports that Karen Brown, 44, and her family are calling for the introduction of wellbeing education in schools, after her son Craig, 22, from Exeter, took his own life in 2013.

Mrs Brown says that the death of her son – and that of 18-year-old A-level student Edward Mallen – show that more needs to be done to educate young adults about mental health conditions such as depression and how to seek help.

Her son Craig showed no signs of being depressed up to the time he took his own life. Mrs Brown says he was always smiling and seemed happy – but a note found after he took his own life showed that he felt life was “not worth living” and that he was a “burden” on others. She says that mental wellbeing should be part of the national curriculum to prevent youngsters from hiding their depression from others rather than seeking help.

She says that she and her husband, Stuart, 47, our Craig’s sister, Loren, 27, and “believed he had a bright future” and that he was always smiling and loving towards others.

“That was how he was,” Mrs Brown told the Daily Mail.
“Craig was kind, sensitive, loving — and full of fun. In every photo I have of him, he’s smiling. But I know now that the smile was a mask.

“Craig was, in fact, so profoundly depressed that he didn’t think life was worth living. He gave us no clue that he was suicidal. Though I scour my memory for hints, I cannot find them.”

Mrs Brown says her son’s case echoes that of teenager Edward Mallen, who was destined for a place at Cambridge University when he took his own life without his family having any knowledge that he was suffering from depression or a mental health condition.

It is estimated that one in four people will suffer from a mental health condition at some point in their lives – lifestyle changes such as illness, bereavement, changing jobs, divorce and moving house or moving to a new school can all trigger emotional responses which may lead to anxiety or depression.

It has recently been reported that the charity Childline has also received more calls from children and young people suffering from mental health conditions – some of which have been linked to exposure to sexually explicit material online and sent in text messages.

The government and major political parties have all pledged to give mental health care parity with physical health conditions – and to dispel the stigma around mental health.

Waiting time targets for accessing mental health care – including talking therapies such as cognitive behaviour therapy – are due to be introduced this spring.

However, A&E departments across the UK are reporting increasing numbers of mental health patients attending because of cutbacks in NHS mental health services in their region.

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is one of the UK’s leading firms of Legal Aid mental health solicitors and can advise NHS mental health patients on their rights under the Mental Health Act, including access to care ad detention under the Mental Health Act.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors regularly visit hospitals and police stations to advise on mental health law – and are available at short notice for appointments nationwide.

In some cases, Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors may also be able to advise the Nearest Relative or carer of a mental health patient, including initiating treatment reviews where appropriate.

For expert legal advice on mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 0203 114 1124.