Mental Fitness – Supporting Men

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45, Male Suicide with men accounting for three-quarters of suicides in the UK. Frighteningly suicides are increasing.

Office for National Statistics

Men have also decided that they don’t need to wear a mask because masks are a “sign of weakness” and men believe they are less likely to be affected by Covid19. Article The reality, of course, is that men are far more likely to die indeed 2/3 of the deaths are male. Source

Men are much less likely to seek help for mental health (men only make up 36% of referrals) support and less likely to tell friends and family about mental health issues. Men and Mental Health. Even though men are at least as likely as women to have mental health issues.

As a man, my view is that the roots of this are a traditional view of masculinity a belief that men need to be ‘strong’ and to control their emotions. To not talk about things that matter and to keep things ‘safely’ superficial.

I think that there are things that we can do to help men:

Let’s change our language from ‘mental health’ to ‘mental fitness.’

Let’s encourage men to talk, some key questions:

1) How are you out of 10
2) What are you happy about? What’s been good in the last seven days?
3) What mental fitness training are you going to do this week? (exercise, relaxing etc.)
4) How are you feeling now out of 10?

The great thing is that these changes will help children and both genders and are something that we are going to be actively doing as a school.