Men’s Mental Health

I was really pleased to see the BACP’s new “Outside View” campaign focussing on men’s mental health. The statistics speak for themselves, men are 3 times more likely to die by suicide than women (Samaritans, 2023), yet figures suggest that men are less likely to seek support for their mental health (NHS Digital, 2020).

Over the years that I’ve been practicing as a therapist, I’ve seen first hand how stress, burnout, pressure, loneliness, expectations, trauma, relationships, breakups, body image, confidence, anxiety, and addiction (the list could go on…) impact on men and their emotional and physical wellbeing. In my experience, some men also carry shame about seeking therapy, it might feel like there’s something wrong with them, that they should be able to cope. Although mental health is becoming something that is easier to talk about, this isn’t always the case, and we can start to believe we’re the only one who is struggling.

I think it can be harmful when anyone is expected to adhere to narrow expectations of how they should be, for men this might be the expectation that they don’t cry, that they can get on with things, that they need to be the one to hold everything together, that they should be stereotypically masculine in appearance, that their sexuality should be expressed in only one way. In reality, human beings are impacted by their experiences, we all feel emotions, we all go through challenges and experience emotional distress. The human experience is vast and nuanced and not black and white, and we all need connection.

It can be hard to sit facing a stranger and then start sharing all of the things you’re struggling with, especially if you’re used to keeping it all in and getting on with it. This is why I am flexible in how I work, and I work at whatever pace feels comfortable for you. Sometimes, it might be case of finding a way of talking about things that feels okay enough, or doing something alongside each other so that there’s no awkward pressure to make eye contact.

The Outside View campaign states that 70% of men who sought therapy wished that they’d reached out sooner. Talking about what’s going on can be really helpful for figuring things out. You don’t have to do it on your own, you don’t have to just get on with it and feel like nobody else feels this way. And you don’t always have to be serious in therapy, there is space for all things in the therapy room, even humour and happiness.

If you’re interested in giving therapy a go, my waiting list is open, please email ashley@ashleygallimore.com.

I am not a crisis service, if you need immediate support please visit https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/seeking-help-for-a-mental-health-problem/mental-health-helplines/

View the Outside View campaign here: https://outside-view.co.uk