Family of Sheffield man who took own life in lockdown campaigning for better mental health services

• Video report by Adam Fowler

The family of a man from Sheffield, who took his own life during the third lockdown, are campaigning for better mental health services.

Ross McCarthy had been struggling with his mental health for years, but his father Mike said that the problem was exacerbated by the isolation caused by the lockdown.

He was 31 when he died and left behind a fiancee and 3-year-old son.

The Campaign Against Living Miserably said that they have seen an increase of 40% in the number of people calling their helpline since the pandemic began.

However, Simon Gunning, CEO of the charity said that they have not seen an increase in the number of people taking their own lives in the last year.

• Simon Gunning, CEO CALM speaks to ITV News

Ross had suffered from depression for ten years and had paid for his own counsellor, his father said that he thought that he had managed to get rid of it for good before the pandemic.

Before Ross took his own life he wrote to his family and asked them to campaign for better services, which is something they are trying to do.

Mike said: "We want parity with physical illnesses. 

"I refer to it as cancer of the mind and if you got to a hospital, there's a cardiology department, there's an ear nose and throat department, there's a urology department but which door do you walk through if you're desperate in the way that Ross was desperate?"

CALM have said that they have also seen a 100% increase in the number of 16-24-year-olds turning to their website for support during lockdown.

Support and helplines for anyone struggling with their mental health can be found at the Britain Get Talking website.

• You can donate towards the CALM charity in memory of Ross McCarthy here.