Trigger warning: References to mental health, depression and self-harm.
As part of Men’s Health Awareness Month, staff are sharing their experiences to normalise the conversation around men’s health and in the hope that other staff will find it helpful. You can find out about all the events planned for staff here.
Dan struggled with his mental health as a teenager, and he is talking about his experiences and how he now looks after his mental health.
Tell us about yourself and a little about your mental health journey so far
Since the age of fourteen (over 10 years ago now), I have struggled with mental health issues. Depression and anxiety, self-harm, and eating disorders were constants in my teenage years.
After struggling to speak about this for years, I eventually sought out help. This was in the form of CBT and prescription drugs. While anti-depressants are still a part of my daily life, learning ways of dealing with the issues I was facing and being able to talk about them has led me to be in a much better place.
How do you now take care of your mental health?
On top of taking anti-depressants, I also ensure that I keep an open dialogue about my feelings with my loved ones. Being able to say when I am struggling is very empowering. One of the main things for me, though, is doing the things that I love. My pets never fail to boost my mood, and sometimes the escapism of a good video game can do wonders.
What do you think is the biggest misconception surrounding mental health?
The misconception that men don’t struggle with mental health. We often see statistics about suicide being the leading cause of death in men under 50, but there seems to be little discourse around issues of body image and eating disorders. More needs to be done to encourage body positivity across the board. Men need to be told that it’s okay not to have washboard abs.
What is your advice to others struggling with their mental health?
Talk to your loved ones. While it might not solve your issues immediately, speaking to them and opening up takes a massive weight off your shoulders in the short term. In the long term, having people who understand what you’re dealing with will help too.
If you need help or support, please speak to your line manager or read about support available to staff.