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The 19th November marks #InternationalMen’sDay – an opportunity to reflect on the wellbeing of men and highlight positive male role models.

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45. In the UK alone, 75% of suicides are male. We’ve discussed before how men face a significant amount of stigma when it comes to mental health, which often holds them back from speaking up or seeking support.

Our goal is to help everyone with mental health, regardless of age, gender or race. If you, or a man you know, is struggling with mental health, here are our top recommended resources for men to educate themselves on mental health and seek support.

CALM

CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) have a helpline and webchat you can use from 5pm to midnight 365 days of the year. CALM are dedicated to supporting men who are feeling suicidal or who need to talk for any reason. Quite accurately they proclaim “Being silent isn’t being strong.”

There is a perfect resource for men to reach out to if they need to talk to someone impartial about their mental health.

HealthUnlocked

The Shawmind HealthUnlocked community is an online forum where you can anonymously ask questions about mental health or a particular scenario you may be in. Other members of the community can respond with their tips, advice and own experiences to help you on your journey. HealthUnlocked is a free service and only requires an internet connection.

Man MOT for the Mind

The Men’s Health Forum have created the interactive manual “Man MOT for the Mind” as a simple and effective way to figure out how you’re really feeling, maintain a positive mental wellbeing, or work on improving your wellbeing.

Flourishzone

Flourishzone provides you with your own confidential world where you can develop whatever skills you like including resilience and practical mental health skills. This is a safe space for men to work on their wellbeing, in private, and at their own pace.

Get a free Flourishzone licence from Shawmind.

Men’s (Man)ual for Good Mental Health

The Men’s (Man)ual for Good Mental Health from The Skills Collective is a free guide containing tips and information that men can use to educate themselves about mental health and look after their own mental wellbeing.

Daddy Blues

Daddy Blues is a book by Mark Williams that explores male postnatal depression and fatherhood. “He had never heard of fathers going through postnatal depression, but with a baby that wouldn’t stop crying, and a wife he could no longer connect with, he felt like he was losing himself more and more each day.”

This book is ideal for men with caring responsibilities who are struggling with their mental health and don’t know what to do next. Daddy Blues provides a rarely explored perspective for fathers and male carers.

Daddy Blues publisher, Trigger Hub, are also hosting ManTalk – an International Men’s Day event focused on men’s mental health.

ManUp!

ManUp! is a UK men’s mental health podcast with Andy Richardson, Tommy Danquah and guests that aims to get men talking about mental health more. Since a big part of the men’s mental health crisis is stigma, this podcast plays a big role in normalising male conversations around mental health and giving men the confidence to speak up and seek help.

Heads Together

Heads Together also works to reduce stigma around men’s mental health. This campaign involved numerous celebrities and male role models sharing stories about their own mental health struggles as a way to tell other men that it’s ok to talk. The Heads Together YouTube channel is a great place to start if you’re not feeling confident about speaking up or if you need reassurance that your mental health struggles are a valid problem.

Once a year events like #InternationalMen’sDay and Movember are great reminders that men’s mental health needs discussing – but mental health affects people all year round. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health at any time of year, encourage them to seek help from a professional or charity immediately.

At Shawmind, we recognise that half of all mental health problems start in school so we’re on a mission to improve mental health support for young people and reduce their mental health struggles as adults. Donate or learn more about our #Headucation campaign.