Men's Mental Health

The Battle and the 'Fat Lads'

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 49.

The most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics indicated that three quarters of UK suicides are carried out by men.

While campaigns such as Movember and CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) have done much to reduce the stigma around male mental health, speaking out and seeking help remains a struggle for many.

It's for this reason a charity football team based in Yorkshire decided to raise money and awareness for men's mental health charity Andy's Man Club.

The self-titled 'Battling Fat Lads' play and host regular football matches and fundraising events in both Sheffield and their home in Mirfield, West Yorkshire.

This year the team competed in their fourth FA People's Cup, raising over £200 to add to their growing total for 2019, around £1000.

The group's work was recognised at the My Mirfield Awards this month where they were crowned Best Sporting Based Organisation.

Captain Phil Russell, who is a registered nurse, sees the issue of mental health on a daily basis but believes men are getting better at talking.

Battling Fat Lads say social media has been a powerful tool in getting their message out there.

However, many believe these types of platforms are part of the problem, especially for the younger generation.

Earlier this month Scottish MP's called for research to be carried out on the impact of social media on young people's mental health.

But while some emphasise the detrimental effects social media can have, for others it's a coping mechanism or a way of connecting with a group of people otherwise out of reach.

Phil said: "Social media is a beautiful thing. Everything good that's happened to us as a team has come through social media."

Many support groups and charities use twitter or facebook as a way of reaching out to people and many find sharing their problems with strangers easier than confiding in friends or family.

Who are Andy's Man Club?

Luke Ambler, a 28-year-old former Rugby League pro, started the support group known as Andy's Man Club in 2016.

Luke's 23-year-old brother-in-law, Andy Roberts, had taken his own life earlier that year.

He believed if Andy had been able to talk more openly he would still be alive today.

What started as a small group in Luke's hometown of Halifax has now expanded to over 18 clubs around the UK.

Their aim is to halve the male suicide rate in Britain.

The Local Impact

While there are 18 centres for Andy's Man Club across the UK, many of them are in traditional working-class towns and cities in the north of England, with the exception of Peterborough and Devon.

This may be due to demand.

Statistics have shown that men from economically poorer backgrounds are more likely to suffer from a mental health problem.

The north-east, which includes deprived areas such as Hartlepool and Sunderland, have the highest concentration of male suicides.

The graph below shows the (male) regional suicide rate per 100,000 people across a ten year period.

The Power of Sport and Moving Forward

As Battling Fat Lads have shown, exercise can be an effective coping mechanism and it seems the sporting community is doing more to tackle the issue.

The Football League introduced mental health charity MIND as their new sponsors for the current season and prominent sporting stars, such as Michael Carrick and Jonny Wilkinson, have shared some of the difficulties they experienced during their careers.

It was sport that led John Hunt, a registered nurse who suffers from bipolar disorder, to reach out.

A Reading FC fan, John was inspired by a group of Fulham supporters who walked from their stadium to Reading's to raise money for CALM.

John vowed to do the same for the return fixture and along with fellow Royals fan Martin Sims and Fulham fan Lee Adams, both of whom he had never met before, they managed to raise over £8000.

John says exercising and going to football has kept his mental health in check.

He said: "Football has a great way of bringing people together.

"Personally it has been an escape for me and my problems for 20 years."

John also thinks sports clubs and gyms could set up programmes for those with mental illness who may also be on a limited budget.

So where do we go from here?

The overall male suicide rate is going down but Ruth Sutherland, head of the charity Samaritans, said every death is still one too many.

As the stigma around male mental health continues to be challenged, with more groups like Andy's Man Club and CALM emerging, it is hoped that the number of men taking their own life will fall to a greater extent.