International Men’s Day 2024
Happy International Men’s Day! Today is a day to celebrate the positive impact that men have on the world and the workplace, while also raising awareness about men’s mental health. This year, the theme of International Men’s Day focuses on role models, highlighting the importance of positive male figures in our lives.
I’m Tommy Taylor, Manufacturing Team Lead at Seaeye, and I’ve been passionate about men’s mental health for a long time. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50 in the UK, and men are statistically less likely to talk about or seek help for mental health issues. That’s why days like International Men’s Day are so important—they help break the stigma surrounding mental health and encourage men to open up about their feelings.
I’ve struggled with mental health issues since I was 13. In 2019, it all came to a head when I realized how much of a negative impact it was having on my life. I didn’t want to become another statistic. My brother, who, upon seeing how much I was struggling, connected me with a local charity he had come across on social media, Andy’s Man Club.
Andy’s Man Club is a men’s suicide prevention charity with free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups all over the UK. Their goal is to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and provide men with a space to talk and support one another. The sessions are held every Monday at 7 pm, with over 150 groups across the country.
I walked past my local Andy’s Man Club two weeks in a row before I found the courage to go inside. I wasn’t sure what to expect and wasn’t even certain it would be the right place for me. After attending the club for few months, I began to feel a sense of relief. I still can’t exactly explain why it worked for me, but after years of trying to get help, I finally found something that helped keep me grounded.
A year after my first session at Andy’s Man Club, and after seeing the incredible benefits it had for both me and other men, I decided to become a facilitator for the Gosport group at the beginning as I wanted to offer support to other men going through tough times. Giving men the space to talk about their issues without the fear of being judged is crucial for reducing male suicide rates.
My role model and the person I look up to the most is my best friend, Lawrence. We’ve been friends literally since birth, after sharing a ward when we were born. Lawrence has always had a hunger to succeed, and he dedicates himself to everything he sets out to achieve—a trait I truly admire and strive to achieve in all aspects of life. He has also been with me through some of my worst times, offering not only moral support but also the harsh truths that needed to be heard. I owe an awful lot to this man, and a lot of who I am today is down to him.
Saab UK is a great and supportive place to work. Within my short time at the company there has been an increased drive on making mental health more widely spoken about. The business offers an Employee Assistance Program for all employees to make use of and more recently the leadership teams at Fareham have undergone mental health first aid training, to ensure a wide level of support across the business. As well as this there are regular mental health awareness sessions available for the teams that have been delivered by the wonderful Solent Mind.
For any men struggling with their mental health today: you are not alone. Don’t ever feel that your issues are invalid or that you’re a burden to others. Be selfish—it’s okay to focus on yourself, especially when things are tough. Your support for others is most impactful when you’re at your best. But most importantly, talk. It might sound cliché, but sometimes simply speaking about your issues out loud can help you see them from a different perspective and make them easier to tackle.
International Men’s Day and Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month are vital in addressing the stigmas and taboos surrounding men’s mental health. We all have a lot going on in our lives, and sometimes we forget to check in with those around us. Please, especially today, take the time to check in with your friends, family, and co-workers—you never know how important that conversation could be for them. We can all be role models for one another.