Men's Mental Health Month
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Men's Mental Health Month
June is the month to raise awareness for Men's Mental Health. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50. On top of this construction workers have almost 4x higher suicide rates than any other sectors. FIT Show wants to be apart of removing the stigma around speaking about mental health especially in our industry.
Men hide their emotions for a multitude of reasons, societal expectations, response from others, systematic racism. Putting on a brave face and ‘coping’ with your mental health will not solve the problems you are facing, Men's Health Forum reported that 46% of men said they would be embarrassed or ashamed to tell their employer that they are struggling with their mental health.
In 2020 the UK Parliament released that 4 in 5 suicides are by men. If you are an employer, learning to deal with your staff’s mental health is a priority and will guarantee work will be more fulfilling and productive for those you work with. As a manager creating a supportive environment where open conversations are encouraged. Charted institute of Building found that 56% construction professionals work for organisations with no policies on mental health in place. Ensuring that these policies are implemented, and your office feels like a safe space for those who work for you is critical to aiding mental health.
If you are a manager wondering where to start with building your mental health awareness, consider a course (like the one below) as a starting point for your mental health strategy.
Friends of FIT, Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity and Band of Builders are two charities championing Men's mental health in the construction community. To find out more about their organisations click the links below.
https://www.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk/organisation/lighthouse-construction-industry-charity/
If you are struggling with your own mental health and need someone to talk too, look at the numbers below and find what service works best for you:
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably): Call 0800 58 58 58 (helpline for men, 5 pm to midnight)
Samaritans: Call 116 123 (24/7 helpline)
NHS 111: Call 111 (24/7 helpline for urgent mental health support
Papyrus HOPELINEUK: Call 0800 068 4141 (helpline for young people under 35, Mon-Fri: 9 am to 10 pm, weekends: 2 pm to 10 pm, bank holidays: 2 pm to 5 pm)
The Mix: Call 0808 808 4994 (helpline for under 25s, 4 pm to 11 pm)
Shout: Text “SHOUT” to 85258 (24/7 crisis text service
