I want to draw everyone's attention to the MIND (mental health charity) campaign this week on the deterioration in the mental health of men due to the recession.
The campaign is called 'Get it of Your Chest' and here is little bit of what they say on their website.
"Mind week is now in full swing, and we?ve just launched important new research into men and mental health. The findings paint a troubling picture:
37 per cent of men are feeling worried or low
men account for 75 per cent of suicides
only 23 per cent of men would see their GP if they felt low for over a fortnight
men were only half as likely to talk to friends about problems as women
31 per cent of men would feel embarrassed about seeking help for mental distress."
I was unsure whether to post this in Dadsnet or Mental Health section but I feel this is something that women need to be very vigilant for and there have been quite a few posts from women recently on MN talking about sudden depression in their DH/DP or him working very long hours and how it is affecting their relationship. I often feelng reading the posts that incredible stress at work and loss of perspective is at the heart of many of the problems.
I feel that women have a very important role to play here in identifyng the early warnng signs, stress, loss of perspective about work, irritability, inreasing levels of alcohol consumption. Getting DH/DP to realise what is happening and getting medical help is really crucial.
The story is being carried by main new channels today including the BBC and also of course the MIND website.
Men (and women of course) are under immense pressure in the workplace with firms displacing the financial pressure on to their workforce. I do not dismiss the mental health impact on women, however, men seem to be particulalrly badly affected and I suspect that is because they are still more often sole breadwinners and men feel they bear the burden of providing for their family the most keenly. Facing constant threats of redundancy or simply unbearable pressure to deliver impossible targets at work it is likely that many men are under great stress. Some will crack and slip into a depressive illness.
Men are also far less likely to talk about emotional issues and or seek medical help. Most just try and soldier on - trying to ignore the problem.
Although I have never suffered depression I have worked in the City and seen many friends relying on alcohol and other drugs to get through the day, suffered incredible levels of stress myself and worked ridiculous hours and lost all perspective at some point with work life balance going out of the window. It is an easy state for a man to slip into. Thankfully I realised what was happening and got out before it affected my mental health.
Anyway, I do encourage everyone to take a good look at their DH/DP and ask if he is showing any early signs of stress related illness or depression. He might not realise what is happening to him.