Talking about mental health during Men’s Health Week

“I think there is a general reluctance from men to share their problems with others. Societal pressures and pre-existing ideas of what it means to be a man can make this particularly difficult.”

It’s Men’s Health Week, and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust wants to encourage men to take steps to talk about their mental health.

Assistant Psychologist Dean Polly recently joined the Trust’s Mental Health Liaison Service. He says it’s important to challenge the ‘man-up’ approach and sharing the stories of those who have asked for help can make a real difference.

“By hearing the experiences of other men who have sought support, we can continue to create a more positive narrative around men and mental health, “Dean explained.

“An idea could be to normalise mental health in connection with what would be considered traditionally male behaviours. Some examples would be conversations around mental health and weightlifting or highlighting media figures who use their craft of music or sport to help with aspects of their mental health.

“This area of facilitating disclosure for men in mental health offers a lot of opportunity for exploration and formulation of ideas”, said Dean.a

Understanding

Another important factor to consider in all of this is men’s own understanding of their mental health as Dean believes there is an awareness piece that might be missing.

He said: “Men often don’t know what mental health is, let alone good mental health. They might not have the vocabulary to describe how they are feeling.

“Forming a more acute understanding of what mental health is and feeling secure enough to want to explore the topic is the starting point. Additionally, knowing where the boundaries lie within oneself and when mental health is becoming a concern for you can promote greater progress.”

With this in mind, Dean’s main piece of advice is to seek help sooner rather than later.

“By looking internally and finding the line within yourself, or the point when you know you need help and knowing where you can turn once that point has been reached, you can avoid things worsening,” he said.

“Self-directed education can help form this understanding given how many resources are now available.”

Mindfulness

Dean, who faced a period of anxiety in his own life, also shared what one of his greatest supports has been in maintaining his own mental health:

“I would be a big supporter of mindfulness as a way to keep myself balanced for everyday life. I found the practice during a period in life where I had what would be considered a minor form of health anxiety, during recovery from an illness. I still use Headspace to this day and practise as often as I can.”

Self-help resources

If you’re interested in exploring the idea of self-help further check out these useful resources which cover a wide range of topics including depression, anxiety and stress.

The guides offer an opportunity to find out more about the causes of mental health issues and provide tools to work through feelings and emotions.

12th June 2025