Loose Women's Stand By Your Men campaign encourages viewers to talk to men about mental health
Following the success of our award-winning Lighten The Load campaign, Loose Women has launched a new male mental health strand - Stand By Your Men.
It's important to remember not to blame yourself or feel guilty if your partner, friend or family member is dealing with mental health issues. You should seek additional support if you're supporting someone during a difficult time.
Mind offers the following advice if you’re worried about a loved one...
Show your support
If you know someone has been unwell, don't be afraid to ask how they are. They might want to talk about it, or they might not. But just letting them know they don't have to avoid the issue with you is important. Spending time with your loved one lets them know you care, and can help you understand what they're going through.
Ask how you can help
Everyone will want support at different times and in different ways, so ask how you can help. It might be useful to help keep track of medication, or give support at a doctor's appointment. If your friend wants to get more exercise, you could do this together, or if your partner is affected by lack of sleep, you could help them get into a regular sleeping pattern.
Be open-minded
Phrases like 'cheer up', 'I'm sure it'll pass' and 'pull yourself together' definitely don't help. Try to be non-judgemental and listen. Someone experiencing a mental health problem often knows best what's helpful for them.
Don't just talk about mental health
Keep in mind that having a mental health problem is just one aspect of your friend or family member's life. Most people don't want to be defined by their mental health problem, so keep talking about the things you've always talked about together.
Show trust and respect
Trust and respect between you and your friend or family member are very important – they help to rebuild and maintain a sense of self-esteem, which a mental health problem can seriously damage. This can also help you to cope a bit better if you can see your support having a positive impact on the person you care about.
Look after yourself
Supporting someone else can sometimes be stressful. Making sure that you look after your own wellbeing can mean that you have the energy, time and distance you need to be able to help.
For example:
Set boundaries and don't take too much on. If you become unwell yourself you won't be able to offer as much support.
Share your caring role with others, if you can. It's often easier to support someone if you're not doing it alone.
Talk to someone about how you're feeling. You may want to be careful about how much information you share about the person you're supporting, but talking about your own feelings with someone you trust can help you feel supported too.
Despite one in eight men in England battling mental health problems, research shows that only 34% of them feel comfortable talking to a loved one about their feelings. Our aim is to inspire viewers to get talking to the men in their lives, in the hope that it will encourage them to open up and ask for help if they are struggling.
This has never been more important than it is right now, with suicide remaining the number one cause of death in men aged 20-49.
Nadia's husband Mark kicked off our campaign by sharing his experience with depression and explaining why he thinks men find it so difficult to talk about mental health.
Men's Mental Health Statistics
Men are three times more likely to take their own lives than women.
Suicide remains the number one cause of death in men aged 20-49.
Only 34% of men say they would talk openly about mental health if they were suffering.
31% of men said they would be embarrassed about seeking help for a mental health problem and were half as likely as women to go to a counsellor or therapist to talk about their feelings.
In 2014, 76% of suicides were men.
If you’d like more information or advice about mental health and the supports available, you can check out our mental health helplines.
NHS Choices – Mental HealthFind Mental Health SupportIAPTStress, Anxiety & DepressionMental Health Helplines10 ways to fight your fears
Comprehensive help and information from NHS Choices with links to external help and support.
Royal College of PsychiatristsMental HealthDepression
This leaflet is for anyone who is, or has been depressed. We hope it will also be helpful for friends and relatives. It describes what depression feels like, some of the help that is available, how you can help yourself and how to help someone else who is depressed. It also mentions some of the things we don't know about depression. At the end of the leaflet there is a list of other places where you can get further information.
The Mental Health Foundationmentalhealth.org.ukVisiting your GPDepression Leaflet
We believe it is important to involve the people who use mental health services and their carers in our work. We want to support them to have their say on the way that services are run, as well as to use their experiences to inform our thinking.
RETHINKHelpline: 0300 5000 927rethink.org
Working together to help everyone affected by severe mental illness recover a better quality of life.
Time to Changetime-to-change.org.uk
Time to Change is England's most ambitious programme to end discrimination faced by people who experience mental health problems. Our vision is to make lives better for everyone by ending mental health discrimination and to inspire people to work together to end the discrimination surrounding mental health.
MindMindInfoline: 0300 123 3393mind.org.ukDepression & AnxietyElefriends
The MindinfoLine offers thousands of callers confidential help on a range of mental health issues. Mind helps people take control of their mental health. We do this by providing high-quality information and advice, and campaigning to promote and protect good mental health for everyone. They also provide a special legal service to the public, lawyers and mental health workers.
Breathing Space (Scotland)Helpline: 0800 83 85 87breathingspace.scot
Sometimes our thoughts and feelings can overwhelm us. It helps to get some Breathing Space. Pick up the phone - we're here to listen. We are a free, confidential, phone service for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety.
SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health)Information Service: 0141 530 1000samh.org.uk
Today, in over 60 communities we work with adults and young people providing mental health social care support, services in primary care, schools and further education, among others. These services together with our national programme work in See Me, respectme, suicide prevention and active living; inform our policy and campaign work to influence positive social change.
Support in Mind ScotlandInformation: 0131 662 4359supportinmindscotland.org.uk
Our aim is to improve the quality of life for anyone whose mental health problems or mental illness has a serious impact on their life and on the lives of others, including family members, friends and supporters. We believe anyone affected by mental health issues deserves compassionate and expert support.
Bi-Polar UKTel: 0333 323 3880www.bipolaruk.org.uk
BiPolar UK is a user led charity working to enable people affected by Bipolar disorder / manic depression to take control of their lives.
Saneline0300 304 7000sane.org.uk
SANEline is a national out-of-hours telephone helpline offering emotional support and information for people affected by mental health problems.
MoodjuiceDepression
The site is designed to offer information, advice to those experiencing troublesome thoughts, feelings and actions. From the site you are able to print off various self-help guides covering conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress, panic and sleep problems.
Be Mindfulbemindful.co.uk
Mindfulness is a mind-body approach to well-being that can help you change the way you think about experiences and reduce stress and anxiety. Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to the present moment, using techniques like meditation, breathing and yoga. It helps us become more aware of our thoughts and feelings so that instead of being overwhelmed by them, we’re better able to manage them. Practising mindfulness can give people more insight into their emotions, boost their attention and concentration and improve relationships. It’s proven to help with stress, anxiety, depression and addictive behaviours, and can even have a positive effect on physical problems like hypertension, heart disease and chronic pain.
ShoutText Shout to 85258giveusashout.org
Shout is the UK’s first free 24/7 text service for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help.
ChildLineHelpline: 0800 11 11www.childline.org.uk
ChildLine is a counselling service for children and young people. You can contact ChildLine in these ways: You can phone on 0800 1111, send us an email, have a 1-2-1 chat with us, send a message to Ask Sam and you can post messages to the ChildLine message boards. You can contact ChildLine about anything - no problem is too big or too small. If you are feeling scared or out of control or just want to talk to someone you can contact ChildLine.
Young MindsHelpline: 0808 802 5544youngminds.org.ukParents' Information Service gives advice to parents or carers who may be concerned about the mental health or emotional well being of a child or young person.
Kooth.comkooth.com
Kooth.com is an online counselling service that provides vulnerable young people, between the ages of 11 and 25, with advice and support for emotional or mental health problems. Kooth.com offers users a free, confidential, safe and anonymous way to access help.
The MixHelpline: 0808 808 4994themix.org.ukDepressionMental Health
Life’s tough, we know that. It can throw a lot your way and make it hard to know what the hell to do with it all. So, welcome to The Mix. Whether you’re 13, 25, or any age in between, we’re here to take on the embarrassing problems, weird questions, and please-don’t-make-me-say-it-out-loud thoughts you have. We give you the information and support you need to deal with it all. Because you can. Because you’re awesome. We’ll connect you to experts and your peers who’ll give you the support and tools you need to take on any challenge you’re facing – for everything from homelessness to finding a job, from money to mental health, from break-ups to drugs. We’re a free and confidential multi-channel service. That means that you choose how you access our support, without the worry of anyone else finding out. Whether it be through our articles and video content online or our phone, email, peer to peer and counselling services – we put the control in your hands. You can even volunteer with us too.
PapyrusHOPELINEUK – 0800 068 4141papyrus-uk.orgWorried about someone
Support for anyone under 35 experiencing thoughts of suicide, or anyone concerned that a young person may be experiencing thoughts of suicide.
Students Against Depressionstudentdepression.orgDeveloped in consultation with students who have been affected by depression, low mood or suicidal thoughts. Many of their stories and suggestions are included on the site.
Campaign Against Living MiserablyHelpline: 0800 58 58 58thecalmzone.netThe Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) works to prevent male suicide and offers support services for any man who is struggling or in crisis. CALM’s helpline 0800 58 58 58 and web-chat are for men in the UK who need to talk or find information and support. The services are open 5pm–midnight daily and are free, anonymous and confidential. For access or to find more information visit thecalmzone.net
Depression UKdepressionuk.org
The mission of Depression UK is to promote mutual support between individuals affected by or at risk from depression, with the aim of encouraging self help, recovery and personal growth. We believe our members are helped when they share their problems with fellow sufferers, because they understand, better than any non-depressed professional or carer can ever do, what it really feels like to suffer from depression. These members can then share their thoughts, feelings, hopes, disappointments and successes, and in so doing offer mutual support to each other.
OvercomeDepression.co.ukovercomedepression.co.uk
Offers a unique and clear reference point on depression help and advice from experts in the field.
SamaritansTel: 116 123 (Free)samaritans.org
Whatever you're going through, we're here to help 24 hours a day. We won't judge you and we won't share what you tell us with anyone else. Get in touch by telephone, email, letter and face to face in the UK andIreland. Visit befrienders.org if you live outside the UK or Ireland.