Jonny Benjamin is a mental health campaigner, writer and presenter. At the Social Media Exchange 2016 he delivered a Lightning Talk on his journey to hope and recovery #SMEX16

1. My Mental Health
Journey
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13. • Every 40 seconds someone dies by suicide
• 3,000 people everyday.
• Almost a million people a year taking their own lives.
[WHO, 2014]
• 17 people kill themselves each day in the UK
• Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 49.
• Suicide rate in males is now at its highest rate since 2001.
[ONS, 2013]
• A young person between 10-19 attempts suicide
every 20 minutes in the UK
[Samaritans, 2004]
• Self-harm is now a major concern for pupils. It has tripled
amongst teenagers in the last decade.
[WHO, 2014]
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16. Within days hundreds of messages & emails had been
received. We sifted through 38 leads…
And the whole time we filmed Jonny’s search, for a
documentary about hope and recovery.
Then we got this email....
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17. Hi,
I hope this message gets through.
I was on the bridge that day and was the person to help Jonny.
I probably know that you may read this with some skepticism, however I assure that you that this e-mail
is 100% genuine. I can recall the moment and details of our conversation on the bridge and the events
with a lot of clarity and detail, even 6 years on.
I have emailed this rather than posted on Twitter or Facebook to avoid any unforeseen complications in
establishing who helped Jonny.
My Name is Neil Laybourn, I have worked in Covent Garden since 2007, traveling over Waterloo bridge to
work most mornings.
I would be be delighted to help confirm all this and would love the opportunity to make contact with
Jonny to reciprocate his genuine gratefulness to something I was fortunate to be able to be there for.
Please feel free to contact me in confidence,
Kindest Regards,
Neil Laybourn
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