Men’s Walk & Talk – a new, local, Men’s Mental Health initiative
It’s fair to say that for many men, talking about feelings and mental health can feel like a sign of weakness.
The truth is, speaking about how you're feeling can be one of the bravest and most powerful things you can do. Finding the right environment, the right pair of ears, the right time or even the right words to say, can all be barriers, which can lead to staying silent.
At Tendring Wellbeing and Intervention Services, we firmly believe that mental health is equally as important as physical health, perhaps even more so for men.
That's why we're on a mission to encourage men to break the silence and start talking.
When you're struggling, it’s easy to feel like you're the only one going through it. Please rest assured you’re not, in fact, the chances are you’ll know someone else who is experiencing similar challenges as yourself.
43% of men admit to regularly feeling worried or low.
That’s right, for every 10 men you know, more than 4 of them experience regular worries or feelings that are associated with poor mental health. Unfortunately, only a third of these will recognise a mental health link and talk, meaning 3 in every 10 men are currently suffering in silence.
There is still a great deal of stigma surrounding mental health issues, particularly for men. By talking, you can connect with others who understand what you're going through and find community and support.
Through the act of talking, you can help break down the barriers and create a culture where it's ok to ask for help when you need it. So, how can you start speaking up about your mental health?
Here are a few quick tips:
- Talk to someone you trust
- Be honest about how you're feeling
- Practice self-care (mindfulness, doing things you enjoy)
- Find a community of likeminded men
Taking the first step is often the most difficult that’s why we are about to launch a Men’s Walk and Talk initiative to help our local male community.
Starting Monday 10th July at 10am, we are introducing a Men’s Walk and Talk, meeting outside the Frinton Community Centre, Soken House, The Triangle (and each Monday thereafter), where we will walking and talking with anyone that would like to join us for a leisurely stroll.
You may feel that you’ll get nothing from it, or you may find that taking this first step could be the most powerful step you’ll ever make. What have you got to lose?
Join us, 10am on Monday 10th July 2023 or any Monday thereafter. No need to book, just turn up, we’ll be there.
If you have any questions in the first instance, why not call Kevin on 07966 545502 to have a discretionary chat about our Men’s Walk and Talk or email us at info@tendringwellbeingandi.co.uk
#mensmentalhealth
#menswalkandtalk
June / July 2023
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Prevention is better than cure....
When we have a headache, we may take paracetamol, for aches and pains it might be ibuprofen. For flu like symptoms perhaps lemsip is your go to, but what do we take when we're not quite feeling ourselves?
Going for a walk can be invigorating, reading a good book can be an escape, spending time with family and friends can lift a mood. But what if you've tried all that and yet still there's something lingering, you're not sure what, but it's there. That little niggle of self-doubt, that inner feeling of woe.
Small feelings can manifest into big feelings if they're not tended to.
Sometimes small feelings can grow in worries, anxieties, longer term confusion and more.
At Tendring Wellbeing and Intervention Services we recognise and understand all the above and more.
Sometimes, a decline in well-being is off-set by an event, a trauma, a piece of bad luck, but equally, it can be triggered by not tapping into inner-feelings and recognising that a bit of self-care is required.
It's human nature to think that we need to plough on, to tough it out. But like jogging on an injury, to keep going even when something is telling us not to can be detrimental in the long term.
Small feelings can spiral into big feelings before we even know it.
A bit of self-care can be the best medicine we can find. From a little mindfulness, to a day at the beach building sandcastles, investing in time to relax, taking a break and finding a way to laugh can be a powerful remedy but equally so, having a willing pair of ears to listen can be just as soothing to the mind.
Life today is busy, there's always so much to do, stuff that should've been done yesterday, a to do list today that is growing rather than getting crossed off and let’s not even think about the 5 places we need to be all at the same time at the weekend.
Busy lives can be exciting lives but they can also create a state of panic, a feeling of a lack of control. Such feelings can quickly evolve into a state of concern, confusion and a lack of self-worth.
So please stop, take a moment and grab that cuppa with a family member or a trusted friend and talk.... it really could be the preventative action that could make a difference.
However, if those worries and concerns don't lift, or if you have that feeling that something just isn't right, why not head to our contact us page and complete a referral form.
Our team are on hand to listen, support and guide you, whether that be through 1-2-1 discussions, some of our wider reaching group sessions (an exciting initiative is coming very soon for our local male community) or perhaps even a bit of advice in the immediate term.
We promise no judgement, a skilled and qualified team and a solution that can be shaped to your needs. We may even have access to some funded therapy.
Prevention is always better than cure. We wish you well and we’re always here if you need us. Now go grab a biscuit to have with that cuppa, you deserve it. x
June 2023
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Are You Really OK?
A question as simple as “are you ok” followed with another of “are you really ok”, can be a lifeline to someone struggling with their mental health and wellbeing.
Roman Kemp, the TV and Radio celebrity (son of Martin Kemp) with more than 2.5m social media followers, starred in a compelling BBC documentary (Our Silent Emergency) in 2022, exploring the stigmas and challenges around Mental Health, having faced his own personal struggles following the tragic suicide of his close friend Joe Lyons.
“But are you really ok?” became a valuable take away for viewers, highlighting how important it is to go beyond the initial question, presenting time and more importantly, genuine assurance, that you are there for them.
Showcasing greater awareness to the fact that things may not be as good as it seems, offers an empathetic, comforting approach and research has shown, this simple, reframed question, is up to 12x more likely to be met with a more open and honest response from someone who maybe struggling.
You read that right, reframing the question with the word ‘really’, can make a huge difference, so next time you ask someone “are you ok”, go further with “are you really ok?”
It might just be the blanket of assurance that your friend, relative or colleague might need to begin to share their worries, fears or vulnerabilities... Go on, give it a try.
June 2023
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Helping each other
Euro news August 2021… writes health experts say that a lot of children in seaside communities are enthusiastic at school but lose their aspirations later on.
Clacton-on-Sea, which includes Jaywick, is located on the eastern coast in Essex, has the UK’s most severe concentration of mental health problems.
"60% of people who earn under £10,000 a year have depressive symptoms yet 10% of people who earn £50,000 a year or more have depressive symptoms.
Research conducted by End Child Poverty Coalition concluded that 7,378 or 34.8% of children living in Clacton are considered to be living in poverty, Colchester has 8,822 children - 24.4 per cent – meaning 16,000 children were recorded as living in poverty (October 2020)
Jaywick was named as one of the most deprived places in Europe in 2019, making our community highly divided by socio-economic inequality.
Disadvantaged children are two-to-three times more likely to develop lifelong mental health issues than those in the highest income bracket. They are also more likely to have experienced an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) such as family breakdown, domestic violence and parental substance abuse.
These experiences can have a long-term impact on their health and , currently less than 70% of children are struggling socially, emotionally or academically are receiving intervention at a sufficient early age.
This results in children experiencing worsening mental health, low self esteem, low confidence, low aspirations and low resilience. Without timely, effective intervention children become at-risk of low grade attainment and exclusion from education and society in the longer term, creating a generational cycle of disadvantage.
NHS Digital data December 2019 shows 8,405 people – four per cent of Colchester’s population – were seen by mental health services in 2018-19. Of these, 1,845 were under 18, meaning five per cent of children in the Colchester area were seen by mental health services.
