Anyone else’s blood boiling about the “trial” for social prescribing of football games to men?

[RainSoakedNights]

I know men’s mental health is important.

But women’s health is constantly ignored. It took me eight years to get my sinus issues taken seriously - I was always told to lose weight and it would just go away. I can’t get my anxiety taken seriously (they tell me to just take time off work and lose weight), but my dad has one panic attack and he’s being prescribed medication and being referred for talking therapies.

The NHS can’t fix the most basic of women’s care, but they can run trials of sending men to football matches? How on earth can they think this is a good idea?

Surely this is a good thing? It's not a race to the bottom.

How? It won’t actually do much for mental health, football leads to an increase in DV when teams lose, and yet again women are ignored. I don’t see how this actually helps the country at all.

So what if you dont see it? If this helps mens mental health then it can only be a good thing.

Do you have a link? I agree, women's health is underfunded and under-considered, but I don't think this precludes social prescribing aimed at men. I am assuming it will have been evidenced to show health benefits?

With kindness and sympathy for how you are currently feeling, YABU.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50. I hope this trial leads to some positive outcomes.

Because their mental health is more important than the physical health of millions of women, which is constantly ignored? It won’t even help mental health - it’s just a free day out for men, funded by taxpayers. If they wanted to get to the football that badly, they could. They should be focussing on why women’s health issues are ignored for so long

Yes, positive outcomes like more women being abused when men can’t cope with their teams losing.

I think mental health is basic care. Without good mental health you can’t have good physical health and the opposite is true.

There are massive issues in the NHS including medical gas lighting of women. That doesn’t men’s issues should be ignored.

I don’t for one second think football is responsible for DV. The responsibility lies with the men who commit DV.

Yes. Definitely YABU.

Additionally, the leading causes of death for women under 50 are suicide and cancer. So why is that not focussed on with the same fervour?

This isn’t AIBU.

That doesn't change the fact that you're being unreasonable.

Because I think the priority should be women’s health care? Men’s mental health is pushed all the time, yet when women seek mental health care they’re told to lose weight, have a cup of tea and a bath, and perhaps get outside. We shouldn’t be allowing this double standard to exist.

Social prescribing reduces issues around mental health and thus often decreases the risks around physical health. If you feel well mentally then you are more likely to stay fit and active and thus reduce the need for the NHS. There are many types of it that focus on women as well as men. I see this as positive.

Anyone can self refer to talking therapies, and medication is prescribed freely and willingly for MH struggles let's be real. There are fundamental and systematic issues with womens healthcare, but beside the general absurdity of prescribing football tickets when the bare minimum of MH provision isnt funded in this country, I wouldnt pitch it against MH support for men.

Nothing to see here I reckon. Most GPs recommend a nice walk, a long bath, deep breathing etc for mental health issues. Personally I'd rather just take the tablets but research really is on their side.

Social prescribing can be a very effective intervention that can then reduce the need for further health care. Obviously I don't know the detail of this particular programme but I would assume it will be being evaluated for its effectiveness.

Assume women are being prescribed spa visits then or yoga retreats? Do tell.

Men are over 3 times as likely as women to die by suicide. They are also less likely than women to even try to access MH support.

Women's healthcare is not good, but won't be improved by a race to the bottom.

I dont think we should be focusing on men because that's where the focus ALWAYS is every medication is to the male standard every healthcare men first its irritating

I had difficulty producing breast milk nothing the NHS would do about it despite many women complaining lack of support leads to worse outcomes mentally (women) medically (baby) etc etc now there are men who wish to breastfeed suddenly the NHS can help MEN produce milk where was that help at 3am when I was sobbing after having my baby physically shoved onto my breast and a nurse walk away saying the baby isn't getting much we will have to feed HER baby AGAIN where? JUST FUCKING WHERE WAS MY SUPPORT

I never forget and yes I'm still cross about it

Of course not. We’re “prescribed” weight loss and a bath. It’s a joke

Exactly. I will never, ever forgive the medical professionals who have been involved in my care. For years I was told that to just lose some weight. Meanwhile I was suffering, everyday. It was only when a doctor decided to take the risk that it came to light that I needed surgery.

I’ve suffered for eight years. Eight years of my life, and they’ll never do anything about it.

1. The tickets are being donated so there isn't a cost to the tax payer. Improving people's mental health reduces costs to the tax payer.

1. People struggling with social isolation will be part of the trial. Surely trying to help them them, along with with people suffering from anxiety and depression is worth a try.

1. Improving women's health care is of course vital, but that doesn't mean we shouldnt need trying to improve men's health as well.

1. It might actually work, that's why it's a trial.

https://edinburghcommunityyoga.co.uk/outreach-projects/social-prescribing/

Just one example. I am not defending how utterly underfunded and sidelined women's health has been, I just think there is more nuance to 'don't fund men's health initiatives'

Yes, the tickets are being donated (a minor thing, it’s a tax write off for the club and Forest Green rovers are a tenner for an adult. It’s a minor cost to the club). But who’s paying for the doctors to see the men to prescribe this? The doctors visits to follow up? The research into it?

Oh yes, the NHS. Who can’t even treat women properly.