Relevant for All organisations

International Men’s Day: Breaking Barriers and Building Support

Author

Rob Birley

Updated

Today is International Men’s Day (IMD). In an age where there is very seldom a positive male role model on TV, this is a time to reflect on the challenges of being a man in today’s society, to look at the stark statistics that explain why this is so important and to share my own experiences.

Why This Day Matters

Men are typically pretty rubbish at seeking help and therefore look for solutions in different ways. Over my half century on this planet, I’ve seen men self medicating with alcohol or drugs, becoming workaholics or blowing their lives up with a mid-life crisis. All of these are attempted short term fixes for deep seated long term issues. They don’t work. As a result, we see sobering stats such as the below:

  • Suicide remains the leading cause of death for men under 50 in the UK.
  • 74% of all suicides are male, with 14 men dying by suicide every day.
  • The male suicide rate in England and Wales is 17.6 per 100,000, compared to 5.7 for women.

But the problem is wider.

So what can be done to help men this International Mens Day?

How You Can Help

  • Start a conversation: Check in with friends and colleagues. Do they seem ok? Have they started coming out less often or is their behaviour more erratic when they are out?
  • Support charities: Mentell is a charity that does great work in giving men a confidential space to speak. Can you support them or signpost men to them?
  • Join community events: What is going on in your part of the world and can you support things like mental health walks and awareness campaigns.

Call to Action for Workplaces

  • Train managers to spot signs of distress. Have you thought about training your managers as Mental Health First Aiders?
  • Create safe spaces for open dialogue. Is there somewhere like an Employee Assistance Programme or even someone internal to your organisation who men could speak to in confidence?
  • Share resources and signpost support services. Think about bringing experts in if you are concerned