Poor mental health can be triggered by many factors and can come in many forms; of which low income, unemployment, marital issues, addictions, PTSD, child maintenance are just a few, and since the global pandemic, medical experts are concerned about further impacts as people worry about their health, employment, isolation and trying to support families.

Men are all too often taught emotion is a sign of weakness, we don’t want to drop our mask and let people know our fears and problems, we often suppress emotions, we become someone who we don’t even know.

Gloucestershire’s men’s suicide rate remains significantly higher than the national rate. (Public Health England Suicide Prevention Profile, 2015). Each and every suicide is a tragedy which has devastating effect on families, friends, colleagues and the wider community. 

Men are three times more likely to commit suicide than women. These high suicide rates are inclusive of all ages however, young men, and more recently, middle aged men have become the age groups at highest risk