We need to start talking about male mental health

When was the last time you spoke about how you truly felt?

From Professor Green talking about his dad’s suicide, to Lad Bible’s shocking statistics about the pressures men feel from society and how they deal with those pressures, there’s been an awful lot trying to encourage men to discuss their mental health. When it comes to thinking about your mental health, as a bloke you are very unlikely to admit anything could be wrong with you. Most of you would probably see it as a sign of weakness and something that just doesn’t happen to “normal” guys.

Mental health can affect anyone

There’s a very small minority of society willing to acknowledge mental health problems in men. I don’t want to take away from those who do amazing work, but it seems most counselling centres and therapists make it even harder for a man to approach it without feeling less “manly”.

A woman will typically be supported and comforted in this situation, where it’s easy for men to feel as though they’re being pitied. I’m not saying typical “lad” behaviour is to blame here – because it can lead to very strong bonds between men – but isn’t it time to accept men can have mental health issues too? We need help that isn’t just designed for women, but shaped to fit the modern man too.

This is part of the plight that men suffer and an area where there is a massive imbalance – especially in British society. If we consider the common cause of death for men under 45 has nothing to do with physical health but is actually suicide, then this must be a clear indicator of where funding and support needs to be placed.

Get involved with Movember to help support male mental health awareness

As Professor Green recently highlighted in his documentary, one in five deaths in men under 45 is due to suicide. According to Lad Bible and the Movember Foundation, over half – 51 per cent – of men in the UK feel pressured by society to be successful.

The Movember Foundation are doing amazing work to help support those in need by raising millions every year in collaboration with projects such as “Like Father Like Son”. This is an easy way for you to help out by taking part in things such as Movember and raising money where you can to help raise awareness and provide support for those who feel they can’t find help anywhere else.