Men’s Mental Health Week

Have you ever heard the expression of ‘man up’? A YouGov (2018) report found 61% of British men aged 18-24 have felt the pressure of having to “man up” due to gender stereotypes. In recent times there has been an increasing growth in the decline of men’s mental health. For many men there is a large stigma around mental health and some can find it hard to talk about their mental health struggles due to this stereotype.

Men’s health week falls between 14th– 20th June 2022, whilst many physical health conditions are highlighted, one of the main topics of discussion for Men’s health week is mental health. The biggest question is, why are men more likely to reach crisis point before they are able to access help?

It is thought that this could be due to the stereotypes mentioned above, as well as many other factors. Men who are unable to speak about their emotions may be less likely to recognise mental health symptoms and therefore could be less likely to reach out for support.

So, what can you do if you are a man or know someone experiencing mental health problems? You have taken the first step by looking for information as you are reading this blog. The next step would be to reach out for help, sometimes this can be to friends or family, people you are able to have an open conversation with about the things that are bothering you. You can try other things to help improve your mental health such as exercise, being outside or taking part in activities that you enjoy. There may be times where you need a little bit more support or are unable to talk to the people you know and would like to speak with an impartial professional.

Here at The Retreat Clinics, we have a team of qualified therapists at our clinics in York, Manchester and online, who can help you to understand and manage your mental health. We will always aim to have you in the driving seat throughout your therapeutic journey. If you would like to find out more, please get in touch by using the form below, or emailing york@theretreatclinics.org.uk or manchester@theretreatclinics.org.uk.