Replacing Stigma with Support: Men’s Mental Health Group
From G.I. Joe to Superman, young boys are taught to be strong. When they grow up and find themselves struggling to maintain that strength, where do they turn? All their lives, they’re guided to be strong, self-reliant and resilient — asking for ‘help’ is often out of the question. But the statistics on men struggling with anxiety and depression are continuing to rise, with many men suffering in silence. As a Mental health advocate and consultant, I don’t believe that it has to be this way — and neither does Ryan Allsopp from Sleaford, UK.
In 2018, care worker, Ryan Allsopp founded an online group called A Broken Mind. In this effort, he was joined by Logan Bonham Smith of Unmasked Mental Health and Stuart Couling of Holistic Therapy. The purpose of the group was clear to him and the other founders: to support men struggling with mental health issues. Just one year into the project, the trio is pleased to say that their online community is evolving into a real-world support group.
The main goal of A Broken Mind is to lend support to men struggling with their own mental health battles. Along the way, the founders hope that they can also fight back against the stigma that men with mental illnesses are weak. Instead, they believe that these men simply need support and guidance. Through their online discussions and real-world events, the group aims to make a lasting impact on its members.
A Broken Mind has already hosted various events since its inception. Regularly, the support group plans activities which they hope will help their members find techniques for dealing with their mental health problems. Already, the members have joined together for:
- Mindfulness walks along River Slea
- Reiki sessions with an expert master
While the online group is composed primarily of men seeking support, the community is sprinkled with professionals lending helping hands. Counsellors, alternative therapists and fitness experts have joined the group in order to offer the members a network of professional help. Now nearly 300 members strong, A Broken Mind hopes to continue acting as a productive and supportive community to men suffering from mental illnesses.