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Your support makes all the difference.Prince Harry has revealed that he feels better equipped to respond to someone who is feeling suicidal in a bonus episode of his series, The Me You Can’t See.
The additional episode, which was released on Thursday night on Apple TV Plus, saw Harry and Oprah Winfrey coming together again to host a virtual town hall.
Speaking candidly about suicide, Harry and Oprah agreed that the best lesson they learned during the filming of their mental health documentary series was that if someone tells them they are thinking about ending their own life, they need to hear that “you’re there” for them.
Harry said: “So many people are afraid of being on the receiving end of that conversation because they don’t feel like they have the right tools to give the right advice.
“But what you want to say is ‘You’re there’. Listen, because listening and being part of that conversation is without doubt the best first step that you can take.”
Actor Glenn Close also made an appearance in the bonus episode and admitted she felt ashamed she did not realise a family member had been struggling with their mental health.
Harry responded: “There’s an element of shame that we feel because we’re like, ‘How could we have not seen it? How could we not know? How did you not feel comfortable enough to share that with me?’”
It comes after the Duke of Sussex revealed the moment his wife Meghan Markle told him she was considering suicide, in an episode of the series released last week.
Meghan had told him how she was feeling before an engagement at the Royal Albert Hall in January 2019.
Harry said he was “somewhat ashamed” of the way he dealt with it at the time, because they still had to carry out their “responsibilities and the duties that we had”.
“We had a quick cuddle and then we had to get changed to jump in a convoy with a police escort and drive to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event,” he said. “Then step out into a wall of cameras and pretend as though everything’s okay.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone free of charge over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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