According to Huffingtonpost UK, suicide is the cause of death for a quarter of males in the age between 20 – 34.
This shocking statistic, combined with the tragic death of British singer Lil Chris who died by hanging himself in March, has once again brought the subject of men’s mental health to the forefront of conversation! A project set up by 3 women working in the media titled ‘Self-esteem Team (SET)‘ was recently created partly in memory of British celebrity Lil Chris’s tragic suicidal death.
SET created the video as a mental health education and awareness tool to tour UK schools and colleges and to encourage men to open up about subjects such as depression which males rarely discussed in public compared to females. It has always been a social norm where the male gender is not supposed to display their emotions such as depression and anxiety compared to the female counterpart, fearing that they will be looked upon as weaklings or non-macho. Another reason people hide their mental health issue is social stigma, fearing they will lose their friends once it is revealed.
SET enrolled a number of British celebrities in the video and among them are celebrities Stephen Fry, Clarke Carlisle, Professor Green, YouTube star Charlie McDonnell, TV presenter Ortis Deley, Deaf Havana frontman James Veck-Gilodi, and comedian Ian Royce, who reveal their daily battles with mental health.
Watch the video!
“Everyday I battle to be a somebody and a something,” says one of the stars.
While another adds:
“My main fear has always been my mental state coming between me and a loved one, that they may not understand that I cannot control when a moment of panic arrives. And to them it seems I’m being selfish or miserable for no apparent reason.
“I guess my deepest fear is ending up alone because of it.”
The video hopes to stamp out stigma by showing that emotions don’t emasculate!
It’s dedicated to James Mabbett, 24, a close friend of Nadia Mendoza (one of SET’s author and the editor of Daily Stars), who took his own life earlier this year.
Mabbett’s death, as well as those of Robin Williams and Lil Chris, inspired the team to create a campaign aimed specifically at men.
