Men’s Mental Health
On Thursday 28 May the Duke of Cambridge presented a BBC One documentary on Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health.
The documentary outlined Prince William’s campaign to help men to open up about their mental health issues by using football as a way to aid men to start being open and honest. Sadly, mental health in general and men’s mental health in particular still holds a degree of stigma.
From local grassroots football to elite clubs Prince William’s campaign aim is to address the problem and raise the profile of support for men’s mental health.
Sands United football club is a team made up of dads who have experienced stillborn or neonatal death of a child. One of the team members spoke of feeling desperate for months but unable to say anything. It was 6 months before he could begin to speak to team mates but during that time he felt accepted, not judged, enjoyed playing football and having drinks with others who had gone through similar experiences as himself.
Contributors to the documentary highlighted their personal struggles with low mood, anxiety and lack of confidence. For some there was a fear of what others would think of them if they let their guard down. ‘Be a man and be strong’ or ‘Man up’ were phrases used. For some there was a need for bravado in order to not show any sense of weakness.
Many men are great at helping others but unable to speak up and seek help for themselves.
Marvin Sordell ex professional Premier League player spoke candidly about his fight with depression leading to an overdose in 2013 from which he did not expect to wake up. Marvin bravely went on to gain the support he needed and now is a writer, public speaker and ambassador for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).
Sadly, for some people suicide can seem the only option.
Samaritans Suicide Statistic for 2018
In the UK there were 6,507 deaths by suicide
In the UK men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women
Death by suicide rose by 10.9% in the UK
The highest suicide rates were among men aged 45-49
The rate of death by suicide among under 25s increased by 23.7%
Prince William spoke of bereavement by suicide as being one of the rawest forms of grief. For those left behind the endless attempt to find answers as to why their loved one chose to leave them in such a way leaves a lasting mark.
Tyrone Mings the 27 year old Premier League Aston Villa and England national team player was asked how he coped with the pressure of playing professional football. His response was he paid a therapist for weekly professional help to guard against any performance issues or anxieties spiralling out of control.
Like Tyrone let us not stay silent. Speaking up and seeking help is not a sign of weakness but a mark of strength.
Prince William has used his position and influence to try and make a difference. We may not have his profile but we probably know people who are struggling or we may be suffering ourselves. Whatever the reasons have been for keeping quiet let us not remain silent. May we not allow depression, anxiety and mental health issues to stay hidden. Let us use our influence to turn the tide on any stigma surround mental health and make a difference which could save lives.
https://www.samaritans.org/about-samaritans/research-policy/suicide-facts-and-figures