Male suicide rates: 'My father left and took his own life'

Suicide claims thousands of lives every year - but figures show that men are around four times more likely to kill themselves than women.

It is thought to be the single biggest cause of death for men under the age of 50.

One person who has had personal experience of this is the BBC's Simon Jack, whose father took his own life when he was 44.

Now that Simon has reached the same age, he has been exploring the issue for the BBC's Panorama programme.

A Suicide in the Family will be shown on Panorama at 20:30 BST on BBC One, 13 April 2015 - or catch up on iPlayer

Are you affected by this?

Samaritans provides emotional support, 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or thoughts of suicide

Its number is 08457 90 90 90

Rethink Mental Illness has more than 200 mental health services and 150 support groups across England.

Its number is 0300 5000 927