A bit brave

    I know that every AMC group across the country is working hard to help men keep their heads above the water. Every facilitator will know the joy of helping those who are the casualties of ill health and social, work or money problems. We don’t do it for any reward except to see our broken brothers begin to heal and get their lives back but occasionally there is that extra boost to our efforts and morale. The letter below was sent to the central team and passed on to us. I’m pretty sure that such a letter could be sent to any of the AMC groups. Please give yourself a pat on the back for helping that one man who found the courage to walk through the door. ‘I wasn't in the best of places last night, but I built up the courage and walked through the doors of Andy's Man Club in Pontefract. Today I feel like a weight has been lifted off my mind. I don't remember the last time I was up at 9:00 AM and ready to face the day! I don't know if it was the facilitator’s frien...

  As a teenager, when out bike riding with my mates, I was always the one who got to the top of the hill first. That was part of my character. Get the job done then I could relax. I have carried this attitude throughout my life; it is a real positive in many ways. When I became depressed and was robbed of my drive and determination, I sought help, believing that getting to the top of the hill was still my priority. I wasn’t good at relaxing, but I could see no problem with that. I wanted to be cured of my depression so I could get back to ‘normal’. My recent CBT therapy was useful because it allowed me to dismiss the negatives and search for the positives. It was my kind of therapy because it had a built-in plan and progression. I wanted to get better but change nothing about myself. The CBT was useful in a number of ways and let me consider the good things in my life and expect improvements. CBT has helped and continues to help many people with mental illness, but I felt I had tak...