International Men's Day

"It's okay not to be okay...."

TRIGGER WARNING – this post talks about suicide:

Today is International Men’s Day and the theme is zero suicides. In the UK, in 2021 there were 6,757 deaths as a result of suicide. And sadly, men are 3 x more likely than women to take their own lives. They are also less likely to access support like talking therapies and more likely to have a dependency on alcohol or take drugs. I’ve been working in the mental health field for years and unfortunately these figures don’t tend to change. Why? Well, my personal view is that men still find it hard to speak up and say that they are not okay.

Despite some progress, I feel that we still live in a society where men perceive asking for help as being weak. We need to change this. It’s okay for men not to be okay, it’s okay for men to need support, it’s okay for men to cry, it’s okay for men to not have all the answers or to fix everything. Personally, regardless of gender, I believe it’s a sign of strength to be vulnerable enough to say, ‘I’m not okay’.

Do you know a man who needs to feel it’s okay to admit that they are not okay? In conversations, I’ve had in the last couple of days, I’ve heard about deaths of two men by suicide and that definitely is not okay. Men shouldn’t feel that this is their only option, there other options out there. If you are reading this and need support, please reach out to someone you trust or call Samaritans on 116 123, or go and see your GP.

To end on a positive note, this International Men’s Day remember to take some time to celebrate the brilliant men in your lives, and say thank you to them for all they do. My husband is my absolute rock, best friend and now business partner!!