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Mental Health and Men, by Deborah Lynch
Mental health was never properly spoken about until the last few years, but even then men’s mental health is still quite an untouched subject. Deborah Lynch has written this article to highlight the importance of knowledge on mental health in men…
Over a third of men say they’ve had a diagnosable mental health condition – yet the topic is still something that we all find difficult to acknowledge and talk about. Men are getting better at talking, but we also need to learn to listen sometimes when they begin to talk about their feelings.
Why do men find it so difficult to talk about their mental health? I know through my work with clients, that once they begin to explore the way they ‘fit' in the world, they really do want to explore the reasons why they feel so depressed or at worst suicidal. Therapy really can help, and men are finally beginning to ask for help.
One of my recent clients, felt he needed a 'co-pilot alongside to be there listen and support his choices and understand his experiences as a man in today's society. I'm happy to say he is doing really well.
In 2021, men were three times as likely to commit suicide, which is an alarming figure, so we really do need to listen and provide support for men, pointing out places that do offer support and spaces where men are free to have their voices heard.
There is a perception that showing any form of mental frailty is considered weakness. Men in their 50s grew up thinking that they needed to be seen as strong, yet it’s a strength for anyone to be open about and admit they are struggling.
With pressure of jobs, housing, financial difficulties, anxieties, relationship issues, it can be hard to talk about these with their peers. If we start talking to our families, peers, work colleagues, students about emotional health awareness for both men and women, we can begin to unblock the stigma of reaching out.
If you are reading this and can identify with any of the above know that you are not alone, and that there is a growing network of support for men, and we are lucky in Felixstowe to have Men’s Shed and Suffolk Mind. There are also several men's charities set up specifically designed to help and support men.
There’s also:
* The Samaritans - 116 123.
* Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) - 0800 58 58 58.
*Andy’s Man Club (they organise a national network of social groups where men can openly talk in a judgement-free, non-clinical environment).
There’s lots of help. Just reach out.
I wish you well.
Deborah Lynch