This International Men’s day (Sunday, 19 November) Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is encouraging men to reach out early for support if they are concerned about their mental wellbeing.
Men often find it difficult to discuss or seek help for their mental health but accepting there may be a problem and asking for help early on can significantly help a person on their road to recovery.
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust offers the following range of services that people can easily access if they are worried about their mental health:
- Mind Matters Surrey offers free and confidential talking therapies to people aged 17+ registered with a Surrey GP who are feeling low, anxious or stressed. People can access 1:1 support, group courses and guided self-help by simply referring themselves to the service.
- Recovery College is dedicated to helping people improve their wellbeing offering a diverse range of courses that include help with confidence and self-esteem, healthy sleep habits, managing mental health at work and understanding depression and anxiety. The courses are open to residents of Surrey or North East Hampshire who are 18 years or older.
- Mental health crisis helpline supports people experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress and is available to people across Surrey and north east Hampshire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call 0800 915 4644 for free if you or someone you care for is in a crisis.
- Safe Havens are open evenings, weekends and bank holidays, and are designed to support people who are experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress. No appointment is needed and you can choose to visit in person or virtually.
Statistics from a 2019 Mind report on men’s mental health show men are far less likely to seek medical help for a mental health problem than women and also less likely to disclose a mental health concern to family or friends.
- The number of men who have suicidal thoughts when feeling worried or low has doubled to 10% since 2009
- 2 in 5 men admit to regularly feeling worried or low, an increase since 2009
- The number of men who say that nothing would put them off finding help if they were feeling low has decreased by almost a fifth since 2009