Let’s get more men talking about what’s happening in their heads

• bey0ndM@gz!ne
• February 1, 2021
• Default, Health-Wellness
• 0 Comments

Men are notoriously bad at opening up and talking about their feelings. In a lot of Asian countries, mental health issues are still seen as a weakness and a taboo subject, carrying a huge amount of stigma with them.

Anxiety and Depression are the most common issues faced by men, which if not addressed can spiral out of control and leave men looking for a way to end the ongoing darkness and pain.

In Hong Kong, men are 3.5 times more likely to commit suicide than women. There is a startling number of approximately 900 suicides in Hong Kong each year. This is a large number of men that we are losing each and every year, to something that can be potentially prevented through support and guidance.

Numerous men who have experienced issues with their mental health later share that they wished they could have talked to someone earlier. However, they did not have the courage to speak up and share their issues with their partner or family members, that they did not have friends they felt comfortable talking with or they simply did not know where to turn. Ideally, this journey would begin with a visit to your Doctor who can talk through the most suitable course of action and if required help make a referral to a mental health professional such as a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist.

However, a significant number of men are afraid of visiting their Doctor, fearing that they will be sent straight to hospital and that their close ones would become aware of the issues they are experiencing.

Many are also unaware they can easily access resources such as a qualified psychologist/psychiatrist without a Doctors referral. While invaluable, such professionals come at a cost, anywhere up to HK$4,000 a session in Hong Kong, which is a reach for the majority, especially those that do not have access to an extensive medical plan. There are free or lower cost alternatives available which can be accessed via a Doctors referral or by connecting with the likes of organisations such as Mind Hong Kong. All of these avenues of support do firstly require the individual to take that step to engage and find the support available to them.

All it takes, to take a weight off your shoulders, is being able to discuss an issue with another individual, allowing the opportunity for perspective; that others have experienced or are experiencing similar issues and have made full recoveries back to their centred self. Having experienced both of these issues myself (fortunately making a full recovery, which is an ongoing process), I know first-hand that talking and sharing these issues is difficult but also extremely important as it kick starts the journey to making a full recovery. For this reason, I have started Men’s Help. Men’s Help is a free-of-charge talking and support service for men in Hong Kong. It is not therapy, counselling or life coaching, as I am not a medical professional, it is simply a support avenue for men to share their issues confidentially with myself and other like-minded men. I wanted to create a space where men can feel heard without judgement, sans the patronising advice.

In the event that it is required, we offer information on potential professional services that could be useful, and allow you to explore these other avenues at your own pace. I wanted the community to resemble a friendship, where individuals feel comfortable to share, similar to that with a friend over coffee; one that will not share the information with your wider family, friends or colleagues and will not pass judgement or tell you to pull yourself together. Men’s Help understands the pressures of being a man, whether it is finances, relationships, work pressures, fatherhood, loneliness or one of the many other difficulties we can face.

Men’s Help currently run three 45-minute sessions at Silverstrand Beach Clearwater Bay between 12pm – 3pm every Saturday. Sessions need to be booked in advance by connecting through www.menshelp.net. A new group session is also in the works.

Charlie Evans

Charlie Evans is a men’s mental health advocate based in Hong Kong. After experiencing issues with anxiety and low mood/depression he was able to learn to accept and challenge these thoughts and issues to make a full and ongoing recovery. A huge fan of talking therapies, he created Men’s Help, a talking and support service for men in Hong Kong which aims to support and talk through any issues they are facing in their everyday life and to help men find the professional support they may need.

Providing a supportive, understanding set of ears to give men the opportunity to offload and share their feelings in an environment they are comfortable to.

www.menshelp.net
charlie@menshelp.net