Young Kilkenny rapper raising awareness around suicide issues

Trigger warning: This article deals with the issue of suicide. If this issue affects you and you are in need of immediate assistance, please contact the Samaritans on the freephone number '116 123'.

A young music artist in Kilkenny is using his platform and personal experience to raise awareness around the importance of spotting suicidal signs in people and reaching out.

Leon Duffy (23), also known as ‘PULZE’, has unfortunately experienced the tragedy of suicide more than once.

He is one of the many young people in Kilkenny who have shared such an experience and he wanted to funnel his emotions and reflections into a song whilst also sending a powerful message.

His new single is entitled ‘Suicidal Signs’ and features a powerful music video filmed around Kilkenny city.

“If even just one person listens to the song or sees the video and it leaves enough of an impact that they decide to reach out to a friend or even reach out themselves for help then that makes it all worth it,” Leon said. 

As someone who has battled with his own demons in recent years, Leon is aware of what it feels like to be on both sides of the story.

“People my age, especially lads, don’t really like to talk about these things. It can make a person feel vulnerable, like they’re putting a weakness of theirs out into the world for all to see. In reality talking out could help a person heal and  overcome their demons and eventually become stronger people,” he said.

“When I was in a bad place before in my life I was just hoping that somebody would message me and reach out.”

Leon has commended some of the services available in Kilkenny to help young people with their mental health but also stressed there’s simply no substitute for being able to spot suicidal signs in people you know and reaching out directly.

“Even something as simple as taking one moment of your day or week to check in on a friend who you might not have talked to for a while lets them know that they have somebody who cares about them. Even if it's only a little message and not much comes from it, it could mean a lot.”

Some of the worrying signs people should be aware of include somebody close to them becoming more isolated and distant from their social groups, becoming personally more withdrawn, not looking after themselves like they used to and suddenly lacking any motivation or drive. 

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. 

“Sometimes if you’re feeling in a really dark place you’re almost hoping that somebody will spot the signs in you and make that intervention,” Leon explained.

“When you just stop and think about the amount of young people we have lost in the past five years, young people especially, you realise that there’s a big need for more people to be proactive and regularly check in with their friends and family.”

The music video is about friends not picking up on little signs despite their friends hoping that they would and reach out to them.

“The main character in the video is depressed and feeling suicidal. He has a best friend but he hasn’t spoken to that best friend about the emotions he’s been feeling. The darkness is slowly overcoming him and he’s wondering why his friends haven’t picked up on any of the signs and reached out to him.

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“If people who watch the video are made aware of the signs and can actively look out for them, then that could become the difference between a person being here or not,” Leon said.

You can listen to ‘Suicidal Signs’ by PULZE on Spotify and other music streaming apps and you can find the music video on YouTube as ‘Pulze - Suicidal Signs (Official Music Video)’.

Leon has listed and provided all the details for various local and national mental health service providers in the description of the video for those affected by any of the issues raised.