Mental Health Awareness Week - Tough To Talk

As we had our quarterly team meeting in mental health awareness week, we wanted to focus on the theme of #breakingthestigma. So, we invited Steve Whittle, Founder of Tough To Talk, to talk to the team.

Tough to Talk partners with organisations to help them meet the unique needs of their men, to break stigma and educate them on the issues that are pushing men beyond the brink. And boy did he talk… and we all listened.

Steve has a mission. A mission to reduce male suicide by spreading the word about it to stop it from being the second biggest preventable cause of death in men each year. He talked through his own experience of mental health issues and imparted his knowledge onto us. He wants us to all be unofficial tough talkers and recognise what we hear in men saying around us. So, we are fulfilling Steve’s request by sharing just a snippet of what we learnt:

- Most men only reach out to one person in the six weeks before they attempt suicide, so if you are the person being reached out to, please don’t dismiss it or sweep it under the carpet.

- Male suicide numbers are going up, especially in the 16-24 year age bracket, so ask them meaningful questions about how they doing.

- Recognise what you hear men saying around you and ask questions when something doesn’t seem quite right, or is out of character.

Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being, and it’s vital that we support each other, fostering an environment where open conversations are encouraged. A big thank you to Steve for sharing his expertise and to everyone who participated and contributed to such an impactful day.

Let's continue to break the stigma and support one another, not just this week, but every day. And please reach out to Steve yourselves and invite him to spread the word at your company too.