“Possibly the greatest month for awareness for Male Mental Health…”
A warm welcome back, although slightly belated. (My humblest apologies.) Spring is well and truly in the swing and summer is but around the corner. The suns been out, and everyone is certainly gaining a decent dose of vitamin D. What’s not to love?
As we roll into the month of May. What’s been happening? What’s been going on in the World of Mental Health. I tell you what it could possible be the one of the greatest months for awareness in regard to Male Mental Health.
There’s been some good, some bad, but all mostly positive in the movement of gaining momentum to help others.
So, let’s briefly move back to April with the outstanding effort by ITV, be it for some a little too much of an eye opener. However, it proved to pay the way to actually show people the sheer importance of Male Mental Health.
(Link below.)
So, what was it then? What was it that took everyone’s breathe away? Look at the photo below and then we will discuss…
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/itv-male-suicide-awareness-sculptures-building-roof-mental-health-project-84-calm-a8274326.html
Sculptures were unveiled on top of ITV’s London buildings to raise awareness around male suicide.
Male suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45, with 75 per cent of all suicides in 2015 in the UK reported as being male.
So ITV HQ has shown its support for this important issue by promoting the Project 84 campaign launched by charity CALM to help raise support with the harrowing issue.
Every single week in the UK, 84 men take their own lives.
Each sculpture that could currently be seen standing on top of the ITV buildings on London’s Southbank represents a real man who took his own life. A family who have shown their support to someone they have lost and truly this has opened the minds to many that male mental health is and should be taken just as seriously as anything else.
The campaign may have only been on for 24 hours but the amount of PR it picked up was astounding including videos, links below. And many of the media and social press worldwide picking the issue up. So bravo ITV for such an amazing push a great effort for a mighty cause.
So, this brings me up to date on another issue. A loss more likely.
And it was exactly another loss in the male celebrity world that personally I think was a wake-up call to all around the world of the sheer importance of Male Mental Health and the stigma surrounding it. A few weeks ago, the world lost Verne Troyer famously known for his role in Austin Powers as mini me and sine then has had numerous roles in movies and became a small cult status.
It was later released that he had been struggling with depression, drinking alcohol, and had suicidal thoughts for many years, but simply this time it beat him.
If we were to roll back even 3 weeks ago, one of the world most prolific DJ’s Avicii sadly passed away to again suicide, which hugely shook the world as it came very much out of the blue. Even more so at such a young tender age on the near release of another Album. A death in the celebrity world which mostly certainly prompted the highlight to male mental health.
If we were to go back to late last year another celebrity died at the cause of suicide Chester Bennington of American band Linkin Park also committed suicide due to personal issues, alongside years of troubling thoughts, sadly through his music we could or should have picked this up for many years especially within the lyrics but unknown to him those lyrics most definitely helped and picked up a lot of people who no doubt suffered in the same instance.
So remember, when you think or presume someone is on top of the world, this even more shows that it does not matter which or what background you are from mental health can affect anyone anytime, anywhere no matter the circumstances. You could have all the riches in the world and still have the same issues as many. So trust me when I say mental health does not discriminate.
So what do I talk about now? I tell you what I will talk about now. May is one of the most important months in the calendar for Mental Health it is of course Mental Health Awareness Week.
(Links below.)
https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/mental-health-awareness-week-2018/
http://www.mind.org.uk
It is a time for us to help raise awareness for all causes, charitable events, and to all things Mental Health no matter the circumstances are background. So speak up be proud, and use this week to make a positive change. Even perhaps make it the week you seek help, make change or perhaps help someone else.
Show your support. Go green or help via social media as I have. Perhaps follow my Instagram.
Wishing you all the very best this month. And can’t wait to come back and see how this month or how this month of raising awareness has helped others.
James BSc (hons) – http://www.instagram.com/mr_south_shields
