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The Stark Reality of Men’s Mental Health
The topic of men’s mental health has come to a head in recent years as more and more men have ‘come out’ telling their stories about issues that have affected their mental wellbeing.
It might be surprising to know that over 2 in 5 men suffer from mental health issues. That is to say, those who admit to having a problem! More realistically, most men fail to recognize that they have a problem and those that do seldom talk about it, and hence that proportion is potentially greater.
Why is that, you may ask? Quite simply, issues relating to mental health in general, and relating to men in particular, is to some extent stigmatised. The admission of a problem carries with it the fear of being ostracised both socially and in the workplace, and even in some cases with the family. This is borne out of a general lack of awareness and understanding.
In truth, untreated mental health issues can lead to extreme behaviours that can lead to substance abuse, gambling and other forms of addiction. Furthermore unheeded emotional problems related to mental health can cripple a man’s ability to function in society and within his own family.
Hence, the ‘Ride for Keith’ and the need to help drive awareness and sensitivity towards men’s mental health issues rather than letting them be swept under a carpet.
We have teamed up with Shout 85258. It is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. They launched publicly in May 2019 and have had more than 1,000,000 conversations with people who are anxious, stressed, depressed, suicidal or overwhelmed and who need immediate support. As a digital service, Shout 85258 has become increasingly critical since Covid-19, being one of the few mental health support services able to operate as normal at that time.
How Shout 85258 is making an impact
Since launch in May 2019, they now have:
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2,300+ trained and active Shout Volunteers
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1,000,000+ conversations with people in need of immediate support
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1,800+ conversations every day. There a 24/7 service and texters contact them round the clock
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The most common issues which emerge during a conversation are: suicide (34%), depression (34%), anxiety (32%), relationship (27%), loneliness (18%) and self-harm (15%).