Shining a Light on Men's Mental Health During this Movember
As winter approaches in Northern Ireland, there's a silent pandemic that remains hidden behind closed doors, the stubborn rise in poor mental health among men. In the face of this growing crisis, we want to shine a spotlight during Movember and Men's Mental Health Month on this worrying trend.
According to the Mental Health Foundation as of April 2022, 70% of adults in Northern Ireland have experienced a mental health problem in the last twelve months. Causes range from childhood trauma, poverty, negative experience of education and exposure to violence. Every day in Vineyard Compassion we see the devastating toll that poverty can have on mental wellbeing. The statistics are stark, in 2021/22 approximately 300,000 individuals were considered to be in relative poverty and during the same period approximately 249,000 individuals were considered to be in absolute poverty.
However, regardless of the cause, too often men are still reluctant to ask for help. Men often link reaching out for help with mental or emotional challenges to feelings of shame or weakness. Acknowledging a problem and seeking assistance is unfortunately viewed as a sign of vulnerability. This Movember, we want to send a clear message to the men of the north coast, to try to break the silence that often shrouds men's struggles. In reality admitting a problem is a sign of strength, not weakness. We would ask the men of our community to encourage other men, especially younger men, to be aware of problems and not ignore them.
We are grasping the opportunity of Men's Mental Health Month to shine a spotlight on our counselling services. Our counselling services serve as a safe haven, where men can share their pain, find understanding, and gain the strength needed to overcome their struggles. Through our Compassion Counselling we will provide professional, therapeutic support to men suffering from anxiety, low mood or suffering from mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
Vineyard Compassion is here to provide a safe space where men can find solace, open up, and share their struggles and ensure that no one suffers alone. One man who reached out for help recently said, “I knew it was time to get honest in order for things to change in my life and my counsellor helped with that”
We think Movember is a great opportunity for willing participants to show support for this hugely important issue and we want to see your Movember offerings! Feel free to share your moustache pictures with us to keep this important conversation going throughout the month of November.