Let’s start the conversation and talk about men’s mental health

With a range of support available across the county, this Men’s Health Week (9-15 June) is a chance for men to talk about their health and wellbeing and to discover the support services available across the county. 

This year the Men’s Health Week campaign is shining a spotlight on mental health. For men struggling with their mental health in Warwickshire, please speak to a friend or family member, and access one of the county’s dedicated support services by visiting Warwickshire County Council’s mental health webpages. 

According to the BUPA Wellbeing Index, 50% of men have struggled with mental health difficulties at some point, yet fewer than half have sought medical advice. The Index also identified that 37% of UK men admit actively hiding their mental health issues from their partners, and 30% of the men surveyed said they didn’t know where to turn for advice or support. 

Councillor Anne-Marie Sonko, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health at Warwickshire County Council, said:   

“It’s really important to talk about your mental health with a trusted person. We know that men between the ages of 18 and 44 are less likely to go to the doctors with any health concerns compared to women. If you are struggling with your mental health, please do speak up and let someone know how you feel. Warwickshire County Council and partners are here to help you with advice and support.”  

Men seeking a safe place to share their feelings can get in touch with a number of groups that have been set up with men and mental health in mind. One such group is MENtalk (Sky Blues in the Community) https://www.ccfc.co.uk/community  

 MENtalk is a weekly group session designed to bring men together to improve their wellbeing. MENtalk mixes psychologist led sessions alongside professional sport coaches to encourage talking and taking up physical activities to help members talk about their own experiences of anxiety and depression.  

In addition to MENtalk, Men’s Sheds encourages conversations, connections and creation for men of all ages, who are looking to improve their wellbeing, reducing loneliness and combating isolation. Men's sheds do this by getting members working on practical projects to help make, repair and repurpose projects in their local communities.  

Research gathered by the UKMen’sShed Association (MSA ) Health and Wellbeing survey, 2023, suggests 96 per cent of Men’s Sheds attendees feel less lonely since joining a shed. Visit www.menssheds.org.uk/  

In addition to MENtalk and Men’s Sheds, the national campaign It Takes Balls to Talk, uses sporting themes to encourage men to talk about how they feel. The campaign’s website highlights local mental health services available in Warwickshire that support with factors that can often impact mental health. These factors can be anything including bereavement, unemployment, financial or debt issues, family or relationship problems, alcohol or drug misuse, social isolation, low self-esteem, or other personal factors. Visit www.ittakesballstotalk.com  

Warwickshire has a host of mental health services that can provide advice and support. One of these services is Wellbeing for Warwickshire which is a countywide service for anyone who needs support with their mental health and wellbeing.  This support can be face-to-face, over the phone on 0800 616171, or online. The service offers drop-in hubs, one-to-one support, online counselling, dedicated phone line and online chat, and free courses and workshops to improve mental health. Visit www.wellbeingforwarwickshire.org.uk/  

Coventry and Warwickshire MIND are another mental health service that provide advice and support. This includes:  

Safe Haven 

Safe Haven is an out-of-hours crisis service for adults aged 16+ in Coventry and Warwickshire. Face to face support is available from 6pm–11pm, and residents can find their nearest drop-in venue on the Safe Haven website.  

Safe Haven can also be contacted by phone on 024 7601 7200, by email at support@cwsafehaven.org.uk, or by text on 07852 010146 (for Warwickshire) or 07790 777039 (for Coventry). 

For younger adults there are a range of bespoke options including:  

RISE  

RISE provides emotional wellbeing and specialist mental health services for children and young people in Coventry and Warwickshire, including on the topics of:  

• Eating disorders  

• Looked after Children (LAC) 

• Neurodevelopment  

• Therapeutic Group Work  

• Primary Mental Health  

Community Autism Support Service 

The Community Autism Support Service (CASS) provides autism support for children, young people and adults across Coventry and Warwickshire who have neurodiverse needs.  
 

YBM project 

Coventry and Warwickshire MIND are delivering a Young Black Men project that aims to promote empowerment, increase resilience, and help address some of the issues that affect young Black men aged 11-30 years of age and their families.  

Young Black men are an overrepresented group in in-patient mental health services and the criminal justice system. Young Black men are also massively underrepresented in asking for help, speaking about mental health or seeking services, and MIND want to work to see this change.   

The project is free to access for young Black men aged 11–30 and accepts self-referrals, parent/carer referrals and professional referrals. To find out more and make a referral visit www.cwwmind.org.uk/ybm   
 

Suicide Prevention 

For men who are experiencing a mental health crisis and need urgent support, please visit the Suicide prevention webpage on the Warwickshire County Council website.  

For those with thoughts of suicide or significant self-harm, help and support are available now at www.dearlife.org.uk with further details for crisis support.