Men’s mental health - let’s talk about it

For many, mental health is a sensitive subject (understandably), and it’s also something everyone experiences and understands differently.

Raising awareness and starting conversations regarding anyone’s mental health is important but men’s mental health is now becoming a worldwide issue. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50 - this needs to change.

Why is men’s mental health such a big issue?

Three times as many men as women die from suicide - a truly shocking statistic.*

There’s such a huge stigma surrounding men’s mental health and a lot of this is down to the society we live in. The idea of men being unable to show their emotions for fear of seeming feminine and being told to “man up” when times get tough, has created a toxic culture where men feel as though they can’t express their emotions.

As a result, men are bottling up their feelings which is resulting in a high number of male suicides. Breaking the stigma is going to involve a lot more open and honest conversations about mental health, so check in on the men in your life.

How to start those conversations

Starting conversations about mental health with the men in your life isn’t always easy, especially when you feel like they aren’t opening up.

But instead of the usual banter and jokes, if you’re noticing that one of your mates isn’t themselves, try asking them about how they really are. Sometimes the right conversation at the right time could make all the difference if someone is struggling mentally.

R U OK have created ALEC. These four steps, promoted by Movember, could help you start those all important conversations with a friend who is struggling mentally:

1. Ask. Asking your friend how they are and being there to hear what they say could make all the difference if your friend isn’t coping at the moment.
   
   
2. Listen. Hearing your friends out is important, especially if you’ve just asked them how they are. Be present in the moment and listen to what they’re saying and give them your undivided attention.
   
   
3. Encourage action. Check that they are taking care of themselves (even if it’s just the little things). Try to encourage getting enough sleep, eating three meals and getting fresh air. If he has felt low for more than 2 weeks and it’s different to anything they have experienced in the past, try and suggest that they go and speak to their doctor.
   
   
4. Check in. If it's been a while since you last spoke to your friend, suggest making plans. If you normally catch up over text, float the idea of meeting in person. Also, don’t forget, people often say that they are fine when they aren’t. Do not be afraid to ask twice if someone is okay - it could save a life.

Free mental health support with your life insurance?

There are so many life insurance providers that now offer free life insurance benefits included within your cover and many of these benefits now include free mental health support and in this day and age, it has never felt so important to have quick access to free healthcare.

An astonishing 1.2 million people are now waiting for community mental health care in the UK and unfortunately these figures are unlikely to show the full picture as these figures will not include those waiting for inpatient care and other services. Being able to use your free life insurance benefits to get an appointment with a UK-based GP in a matter of hours could make all the difference for you and your loved ones.

What do the benefits include?

Major providers such as AIG, Royal London, Scottish Widows and Aviva all offer free support when you take out a life insurance policy with them. Plus, this support often extends out to your loved ones too, including your children.

These extra benefits can range all the way from 24/7 GP access, free therapy sessions, access to healthcare apps and so much more! It’s always best to check with your provider if you have access to these benefits. Click here to find out more about free mental health benefits that you may have included within your life insurance policy.

How to find out if you already have access to benefits

If you’re not sure whether or not you have access to these free extra benefits then we can help. You can either check your policy documents (whether this is a letter or email) or you can get in touch with us. Either give us a call on 0161 241 6146 or drop us an email and our customer care team will be more than happy to help!

Several providers now offer these free additional services so the chances are, you might already have access to them. However, if you are still yet to start your life insurance journey, then click the button below to get started with a free quote today.

Further help and useful contacts

If you are seriously struggling with your mental health and aren’t sure where to turn, you may find the below contacts useful:

• Mind is a mental health charity dedicated to offering advice and support to those suffering with their mental health. They campaign to raise awareness, improve services and promote understanding, their number is 0300 123 3393.
  
  
• Calm stands for Campaign Against Living Miserably and the charity offers advice, help, a webchat service and information to anyone who is struggling with their mental health, you can contact them on 0800 58 58 58.
  
  
• Samaritans services have been around for 65 years and over 22,000 people now volunteer for them. Their service is available 24/7, 365 days a year. Although the service is unrelated to religion, Samaritans was founded by a vicar called Chad Varah and in his own words, The service is described by their founder Chad Varah as “a man willing to listen, with a base and an emergency telephone”. You can contact them on 116 123.
  
  
• Switchboard is a helpline specifically designed for all things LGBT+. That could be for those struggling with their own sexuality or gender identity; or for friends and family seeking advice and guidance for those around them. The helpline is open from 10am-10pm everyday and aims to leave those who call feeling like they have the answers they need after they have finished their call. Get in touch with them on 0300 330 0630.

*According to the Office of National Statistics, 2021