When is Men’s Mental Health Month?

It’s June in the United States.

And in the United Kingdom, it’s November.

Yet, you probably weren’t aware as you read that, right?

It’s Men’s Mental Health Month, so speak out!

If you follow me on social media, you’ll know I’m a massive advocate of talking about my mental health struggles.

I won’t go into loads of detail because I’ve already written an article about my breakdown in 2022 called Poor Mental Health, Freelancing and Me.

But, to cut a long story short, I had a major breakdown.

I had debilitating:

Anxiety
Panic attacks
Depression
Intrusive thoughts

I wasn’t suicidal, but I wasn’t far off.

What got me through and continues to get me through is this: talking about it.

I’ve done a lot of work to get better, including taking up hobbies like:

Swimming
Yoga
Jigsaws
Lego

But reaching out to friends, family, and peers and going to therapy has made a real difference.

Suicide rates in men with mental health issues

The suicide rate for men compared to women is astronomical.

A regular Gov.UK study tracks the number of suicides in men and women. Between December ’22 and February ’24, of 5,057 recorded deaths by suicide:

73.7% (3,728) were men
26.3% (1,329) were women

In February ’24 alone, of 300 recorded deaths by suicide:

77% (231) were men
23% (69) were women

The highest suicide rates were for men aged 25 to 64.

It’s a startling and heartbreaking statistic.

Sometimes, it feels like there’s no way out other than to take your life, especially if you don’t have a strong support network around you.

And if it’s not suicide, men’s behaviour, even in the most placid, can change, so they start taking more risks that can lead to injury or death. They drink more or take substances to try and numb the pain and fear inside, which ultimately leads them down a darker path that’s even further away from them turning their lives around.

Successful recovery takes time.

It doesn’t happen overnight.

It can take months or even years, but it is possible, even when you’re at your lowest.

Why male freelancers are at high risk of poor mental health

With more people working from home, either through hybrid working or freelancing, more men are isolating themselves.

A study found that 64% of freelancers feel their mental health has affected their work.

And it’s no surprise as freelancers have:

No guaranteed income
No idea where the next job will come from
The stress of running your own business
Loneliness and isolation
To cope with negative feedback alone
Daily bouts of imposter syndrome

All the pressure is on you when you run your own company.

While women feel this, too, they’re also much better at expressing their feelings and seeking support.

Poor mental health can happen to anyone, and I want you to know you are not alone.

Mental health support is available, please don’t suffer

There’s no shame in having poor mental health.

Reach out to someone.

You’ll be astounded at how many people understand what you’re going through.

You don’t have to go straight to a therapist because, for lots of men, that takes a lot of trust. So, if you’re not ready for that but need somebody to talk to, these services are there for you.

If you’re in the United Kingdom:

The Samaritans on 116 123 (it’s free!)
Text “SHOUT” to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line
SANELine on 0300 304 7000
CALM on 0800 585 858

If you’re in the USA:

Visit 988lifeline.org or text 988
Message the Crisis Text Line, text ‘MHA’ to 741741
Call 1-800-985-5990
Text ‘TalkWithUs’ to 66746

Also, download the Insight Timer app for your phone. It’s full of meditation and relaxation audios to help you reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts. You can also try Tapping Therapy (like I did) by subscribing to the Brad Yates YouTube channel.

It doesn’t matter if you’re reading this in June, November or the other ten months of the year.