A bit brave

 If I had a broken leg and was in obvious discomfort and pain, people would sympathise and be supportive. If I had mobility issues I would expect people to willingly help me. If my mind is broken I should expect the same level of understanding and support but this doesn’t always happen. A broken leg is visible and many people, at some stage, will have broken a bone so they can empathise with what I would be going through. I have found that it takes a unique person to sympathise and empathise with a broken mind. Why do you think this is? Maybe I must first convince myself that I am worthy of help before I can convince others. Many people with anxiety and depression blame themselves for their illness and the low self-esteem that accompanies it. Many people with mental illness are ashamed to tell their friends and loved ones how they feel, for fear of being judged. So people, particularly men, say nothing about the crisis they are going through and try to cope with their illness on ...

  Yet another new venue as the management team works hard to keep our face-to-face meetings going. 15 men in a circle, wearing masks and socially distanced. Behind one mask I see a familiar face and sit down next to him. This friend came to regular meetings before lockdown but wasn’t keen on using the Internet meetings. I knew most of the people in the meeting but he only knew me. ‘I’m pleased you are here,’ he said. ‘It’s a big step coming through that door again, so recognising a friend does make a difference.’ For most of us, the hardest step is the first step, coming through that door into a meeting of unfamiliar faces. The men in that room know what has brought you to this door and at some point have been in your position. There is very little you can say that they have not already heard or thought and they are your future friends. Talking openly to other men is not a cure for mental health problems but it can prevent you from sinking to the most painful of depths. You will ...

 I thought that a recent post from a young friend, Dale, was worthy of further publication. ' When I become lost (like I’ve found myself quite recently), I usually don’t want to accept it at first and carry on hoping that I’ll somehow just find my way again. This time was no different. I found myself in the midst of depression and swamps of anxiety ‘just getting on with it’ until I found it too strenuous to push forward. I personally believe that sometimes stopping until you regain energy, strength and clarity is a necessity at times and on this occasion, I have tried to do just that. We all get lost in life and now more than ever for a lot of people. We all cope differently. We all have different forms of armour to withstand the daily pressures of life, some stronger than others and we all have a number of techniques to overcome personal challenges. Find your ‘selfish’ safety button when life gets on top of you and be honest with yourself. If you do that, then you’re on to a g...