Strong and silent type.
Be a man.
Boys don’t cry.
We know that some men haven’t always been encouraged to talk about their feelings. But everyone can feel low sometimes, and anyone can have a mental health problem. That’s why Mind is telling men to Get it off your chest.
We’ve just launched important new research into men and mental healthas part of Mind week 2009. The findings paint a troubling picture:
- 37 per cent of men are feeling worried or low
- men account for 75 per cent of suicides
- only 23 per cent of men would see their GP if they felt low for over a fortnight
- men were only half as likely to talk to friends about problems as women
- 31 per cent of men would feel embarrassed about seeking help for mental distress.
This Mind week we put a spotlight on this important issue that has been hiding in plain sight for too long. In addition to raising awareness through the media all week long, we are also calling on members of the public to raise this issue with their MPs. Mind is calling on the Government to develop the first mental health strategy for men – as a women’s strategy has already been published. This new strategy must take into consideration the different ways men experience mental distress, and the different ways they prefer to seek help.
Mind week 2009 has now finished, but you can still find out more about our campaign, and why it's crucial that the Government develops the first mental health strategy for men.
What else happened during the week? We'll continue to raise awareness through our fundraising appeal, and the annual Mind awards highlighted some of the best work done on mental health over the past year and crown a new Mind champion, Book, Journalist and Student Journalist of the Year. Local Mind associations are also getting in on the action up and down the country.
Join the campaign
Find out more and take action
Support the campaign: Donate to Mind today.
Mind week in the news
First person
Men discuss their mental health
After the cheering stops: mental health issues in professional sports.
Background
Read the report
Press release
Events
Mind awards 2009 winners - Mind book of the year, Mind champion,
and Mind journalist of the year
Stephen Fry and friends launch Mind week
Mind week parliamentary reception