"Please Hear What I'm Not Saying" - talking about mental health.

Today, the 7th of April, is World Health Day. It has been a while since my last blog post so I thought it would be an ideal opportunity to post a video that I made for Movember last year. When discussing health issues, it's very easy to think of the physical side: cancers, obesity, debilitating illnesses, etc. The matter of mental health, however, is often over-looked.

Movember is trying to change people's approach to mental health and break down the taboos surrounding the subject. It's easy to see why mental health problems can be misunderstood as there are rarely any obvious symptoms but the startling fact is that, at any one time, 1 in 8 men are diagnosed with a common mental disorder. These can include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, psychosis and schizophrenia.

In England and Wales, suicide is the biggest cause of death in men aged 20 to 49.

In the last 5 years, I have lost several friends to suicide and I sincerely hope that I won't have to lose any more. Robin Williams's death last year highlighted how somebody can be deeply troubled inside even when they appear full of life and laughter on the outside. This is where Movember's video comes in.

"Please Hear What I'm Not Saying" is an extract from a poem by Charles C. Finn. We asked a handful of British comedians to read it. Funny men with a serious message:

The important thing to know is that you are not alone. If you're feeling a bit blue or down in the dumps, find somebody you can talk to. Maybe you have a friend who hasn't been acting his or herself recently - just have a chat and see what's going on. Don't worry about your problems being a burden or showing weakness - in an increasingly superficial world, it takes a lot of strength to open up and discuss genuine feelings. If you feel that you can't talk to friends or family about what's going on, here are some useful links to help you get your life back on track:

NHS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES provides information on services available for anyone concerned with mental health problems.
MIND provides information and support to make sure nobody has to face a mental health problem alone.
SAMARITANS provides a 24-hour confidential service to discuss any difficult issues and find a way through the problems.
CALM seeks to prevent male suicide and offers support to men of any age in the UK who are down or in crisis.
PAPYRUS aims to reduce the stigma associated with suicide and increase awareness of young suicide.