Stephen Martin Director General of the Institute of Directors – has launched a mental health campaign to encourage their 30,000 director members to join the campaign to raise awareness of staff with mental health problems at a work. A survey of their directors found that over half had been approached by staff with mental health issues that affected their ability to work effectively. They are launching an online sign posting service for help. For more information about the IOD’s mental health campaign

Time For Change is led by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. They are working to encourage employers to take the Employer Pledge and make a commitment to change how we act and think about mental health in the workplace.

Nine in ten people with a mental health problems experience stigma and discrimination. As a result, a key part of this initiative is to encourage employers to take steps to destigmatise mental health illness in the workplace by creating staff Mental Health Champions as well as providing information and resources to help affected employees to get help.

Prince William called the high rate of suicide in men “A strain on Society.” He is also a supporter of the Mental Health Charity The Calm Zone and their campaign Against Living Miserably. The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is an award-winning charity dedicated to preventing male suicide, the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK. They report that in 2015, 75% of all UK suicides were male.

Research by the British Association of Counsellors & Psychotherapists revealed that compared to five years ago, 62% had a higher percentage of male clients.

It seems that more men are seeking counselling than in the past because of a gradual shifting of attitudes about gender roles, as well as a growing recognition of the benefits of counselling itself.

Traditionally, men have been socialised to repress their emotional needs as a part of masculinity. This is despite the fact that men have exactly the same emotions as women and feel things such as anger, grief, shame, sadness and anxiety.

Expressing feelings has been stigmatised as weakness for men leading to feelings of shame and isolation which in turn often causes men to bottle up psychological difficulties which risks them becoming more entrenched and severe.

There are many compelling reasons why men should be encouraged to talk through their concerns with a professional counsellor.

Despite the recent increase in the number of men seeking counselling, numbers are still low compared to women. There is also evidence that men are more resistant to seeking counselling than women which is of concern giving the fat that men are at a higher risk of suicide across all age groups, but particularly men under 50.

Samaritans – their helpline is available 24/7 if you or someone you know may be at risk of suicide or simply want to talk about something that is troubling you, no matter how large or small the issue The Samaritans on 116 123