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A 2019 study conducted by the mental health charity Mind revealed that :
• Two in five men ( 43 per cent ) admit to regularly feeling worried or low
• Over a third of men ( 37 per cent ) say social media has a negative impact on how they feel
• The number of men who are worried about their appearance has risen from 18 per cent in 2009 to 23 per cent
• Men are still more likely than women to drink alone , go to the pub with friends , or take recreational drugs to relax when feeling worried or down
• The number of men who have suicidal thoughts when feeling worried or low has doubled to per cent since 2009
Data from the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) also revealed that the suicide rate for men in England and Wales in 2019 was the highest for two decades , whilst a Samaritans report highlighted that men aged 45-49 remain at the highest risk of suicide . Whilst it is too early to tell the true toll the pandemic has taken on men ’ s mental health , it is evident that it has exacerbated known risk factors for vulnerable people .
Men ’ s Mental Health – Swindon is an organisation co-founded by Alex Pollock . It works alongside local and national charities to improve mental fitness for the local community and reduce the stigma around men and their mental health .
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Alex Pollock , Co-Founder , Men ' s Mental Health - Swindon |
We met Alex to find out more about the initiative and its current work .
Men ’ s Mental Health - Swindon was initially set up in 2018 . How has it changed since inception ? We initially set ourselves up to be a weeklong creative campaign for Mental Health Awareness Week . There was a huge amount of statistical data , alongside local focus groups and surveys , which painted a picture of what wellbeing can be like for guys in Swindon .
This information fed into us and we were able to produce a localised campaign that spoke to men to encourage them to talk about how they were feeling . It also educated people on how to spot changes in the behaviour of a loved one .
The campaign was a huge success . Once it finished , we were inundated with positive feedback and requests from residents and businesses to keep it going . That ’ s when Charlie Paradise and I decided to transform the campaign into a Community Interest Company ( CIC ).
Since then , we ’ ve been busy developing campaigns around mental fitness , working with local and national organisations to develop engaging , creative campaigns specifically for the Swindon area .
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What projects have you been working on in the last year to support local men ? When the pandemic hit , all our best-laid plans went out the window ! We could no longer meet with organisations , and we had to completely scrap a year ’ s worth of planned campaigns as we weren ’ t able to activate them exactly as we ’ d hoped .
Despite its adversity , the pandemic brought new ways of thinking for us , and it was not a time that we could be dormant . We ran a range of campaigns , including live-streamed music sessions , personalised doorstep diaries and , more recently , a campaign with local sportsmen on how physical activity positively impacts their mental wellbeing .
Since the start of 2020 , our digital campaign activations have been viewed by nearly 250,000 individuals online , most of whom are from Swindon and the surrounding areas .
Has the conversation changed in the last few years ? Are there new challenges or concerns ? We ’ re definitely seeing a paradigm shift in public attitudes towards mental illness and there has been a huge amount of awareness over the last couple of years . We ’ re seeing an increase in conversations around self-care and plenty of well-known faces openly talk about their mental health . However , increased awareness does occasionally bring increased distress for some .
From our perspective , we ’ re conscious of how we shape the conversation locally and the terminology we use in discussions or campaigns . From feedback from surveys and focus groups , a lot of men said they didn ’ t connect with national campaigns that focussed on statistics or imagery of a negative depiction , like the classic ‘ headin-hands ’ shot . This is why we always try to share ways in which the community can improve their mental fitness and take care of their wellbeing .
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Mind ’ s research shows that social media plays a real impact on men ’ s feelings . As a 30-something man whose business is social media content and strategy , what are your tips for managing this relationship with social ? Whilst I see first-hand the benefits that social media can have on society and business , I ’ m also fully aware of the detrimental impacts it can have at times . It ’ s more important than ever to take the time to protect your mental wellbeing and build resilience for the future .
I try to take control of my social media feeds and devices , making a conscious effort to unfollow irrelevant accounts or those that don ’ t bring me a sense of joy , as well as turning off all social notifications on my smartphone and devices .
Every day at lunchtime , I pop on a podcast and go for a walk around the area , making sure not to check my phone . It sounds quite simple but has had a real positive benefit on both my physical and mental wellbeing .
These , as well as a few other things , form part of what I do to prioritise self-care so that I can feel strong enough to tackle anything life throws at me .
If you ’ re struggling with your mental wellbeing , talking about it really does help . This isn ’ t a sign of weakness ; it ’ s part of taking charge of your wellbeing and doing what you can to stay healthy .
Visit Men ’ s Mental Health - Swindon online at : www . mmhswindon . co . uk @ mmhSwindon
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