21 minute read
Men, it’s time to speak about Mental health
WELLBEING - By Joseph Clayton
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As a society, it is vital that we all prioritise our mental health, making sure that we are treating it with as much priority and importance as we would our physical health. However, it is time for more men to speak out about their mental health and wellbeing, with around 40% of men still not admitting to others around them when they are suffering and having a hard time.
In recent years, more and more men in the UK are committing suicide due to suffering from illnesses such as depression and anxiety, with suicide being the largest cause of death for men under the age of 50. This is caused by not enough men understanding the importance of talking about their mental health, leading many to suffer in silence. Due to this, men are found to be more irritable and experience sudden anger and loss of control, highlighting the consequences of men being silent. According to the Mental Health Foundation, three times as many men as women die by suicide in the UK every year, with only 36% of referrals to NHS talking therapies being for men. This is supported by statistics such as that in 2017, nearly 6,000 suicides were recorded in the UK, and of this, over 75% were men. In particular, higher rates of male suicide are found in minority communities, including men from BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) backgrounds. This is because Black men are more likely to have experienced a psychotic disorder than white men, leading Black men being four times as likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act than white men.
However, society’s expectations and traditional gender roles have been shown as a key explanation for why many men feel that they are unable to express how they are feeling, believing that they should not be showing emotion. This is because many men are expected to portray themselves as tough and strong, therefore neglecting their mental health which as a result can have devastating consequences such as many men ending their lives. Therefore, this clearly emphasises why it is so important for men to break this toxic stigma and get the mental health support they need. So where can men get the help that they need to improve their mental health and wellbeing? NHS therapy and counselling services: If you’re aged 18 or over and live in England, you can access the NHS psychological therapy services. These services offer talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), counselling or guided self-help for people suffering from depression, anxiety, PTSD etc. For more information visit: nhs.uk/nhs-services/ mental-health-services/
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably): CALM is an organisation which is standing up against stereotypes, the sigma of mental health and against suicide. CALM has a helpline dedicated to supporting men who need mental health support. You’re able to call from 5pm to midnight, 365 days a year. For more information on CALM, visit: thecalmzone.net Samaritans: Samaritans are a charity dedicated to reducing feelings of isolation and disconnection which can often lead to suicide. Samaritans have a helpline that people can call if they are suffering from mental health issues or are feeling suicidal, which is open 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year. However, they also have a self-help app where you can keep track of how you’re feeling, which also gives you recommendations for how to help yourself cope. For more information visit: samaritans.org Heads Up Guys: Heads Up Guys is an online, anonymous resource designed for men, aimed at preventing deaths by suicide. On their website you are able to find a therapist in your area and how you can contact them. For more information visit: headsupguys.org But there are also many ways that we can help, and get involved to try and raise awareness for male mental health. One way that we can get involved, especially during this time of the year is through the charity Movember, as their yearly campaign begins once again on 1st November until 30th November 2022. Movember has been making significant strides in the UK with their mental health and suicide prevention projects. This is shown through their social innovators challenge which funds creative programmes at restoring and strengthening social connections for men.
One way for you to get involved with Movember would be to grow a moustache, raising funds and awareness for men’s mental health. You could also take part in ‘Move for Movember’ by walking or running 60km over November for the 60 men that we lose to suicide each hour across the world. You can keep track of all of your fundraising through downloading the Movember app, with Movember being able to use the funds that you raise to fund groundbreaking health projects across male mental health and suicide prevention.
MY HIV DIAGNOSIS
By David L. Lester-Masse
Through modern technology and the advancement of science, HIV is not the death sentence it was 40 years ago. But it is the thing most of us living with it fear will eventually take us out.HIV is a diagnosis that is not the same as any other.
The stigma still exists. And it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. At least not for those of us who live with this reality every day.There may be many of you reading this article who are in a mental space where you’re not sure about life, finances, love and relationships, medication adherence, or when and how to begin a health regimen. Which can make maintaining your mental health a challenge. Depression affects so many of us living with HIV.Sure, I’m an advocate for people with HIV, but trust me, sometimes those of us out here advocating are hit the hardest with depressive thoughts. There are days when I don’t want to get out of bed. When I have no desire to do any of the things I love. When I don’t want to go to work or be bothered with life. Period!
As an advocate, there are times when I am not sure that what I’m saying is uplifting others. And times when I’m not sure the knowledge about best practices is getting through to those who need it most. Especially when I see the rates at which we are still losing this fight. And I wonder, is it even worth it?
In the beginning
I will never forget being in a relationship with the person I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with. We shared a home, a life, and a mutual understanding of what we wanted our future to be.I am the type of person who loves deeply and likes to go into most situations knowing all of the details. My partner’s health was one of those things I thought I knew, but not to the extent I should have.
When he shared his HIV diagnosis with me, I thought, OK, this is something that he’s managing. I didn’t see him take any medications for it, and I didn’t go to any doctors’ appointments with him. At that point, I’d known about HIV, but this was my first time dealing with it up close and personal. Let’s pause. If I could give you any word of advice or caution: Find out as much as you can about the person you’re in a relationship with. When they start to hide or tell half-truths about something as important as their health, pay attention! If you’re being intimate with them, it’s no longer just about their health. Your health is important as well!
Positively unprepared
When I sat in a room over 10 years ago and was told my life would change forever, I had no idea to what extent it would change. When they shared the news of my diagnosis with me, I promise, everything after that sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher talking — I didn’t hear a word they said. I replied by nodding my head, they gave me a pamphlet, and I left the building. Trying to digest any information at that point seemed useless because there was nothing a pamphlet, a Google search, or even my family could do for me. They didn’t know my truth. This was my body, my diagnosis, and my life. On the drive home, I was busy thinking about how I would disclose my diagnosis to my (then) partner. The strangest thing was, when I sat him down to share my news … he said nothing. Not a word of advice, support, anger, or remorse. Nothing! Shortly after this interaction, I would come home from work to find him, and all of his belongings, gone. When I realized there was no one but me in the townhome I’d planned to spend my future in, every thought imaginable went through my head: Who would I tell first? How would they respond? Given the stigma around HIV, who would want to be around me now? What if I told no one and just ended it all right here in this house? But I knew I couldn’t do that. I knew I mattered to someone. I wouldn’t want them to find me in that state, left wondering what happened, spending years of their own lives without answers or proper context. So, I did the only thing I knew to do — I kept my diagnosis to myself. For years, I attended gatherings with family and friends and said absolutely nothing. For more: www.healthline.com/ health/depression
BRILLIANT BUSES: THE BENEFITS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT
By Tristan Best
Here are just a few reasons why catching the bus could help to save the planet… Sharing a bus with multiple people decreases everyone’s CO2 emissions, leading to a smaller carbon footprint. When you share a bus with 19 other people – including the driver – you divide the standard CO2 emissions by 20, enabling you to emit a much smaller amount of CO2 than if you were driving a car.
In the grand scheme of things, taking the bus is a cheaper alternative to taxis or running your own vehicle. I pay £12 to get to work at 5am in the morning when the buses aren’t running, but it only costs me £5 to get home via the bus system. Catching the bus can also be safer than driving early in the morning or after a long day at work. You may be tired or impatient after a bad night’s sleep or from working all day, and therefore may be inclined to make rash decisions. If this is something you think might affect you, consider getting the bus. Availability is another perk of public transport. Your local bus service is usually reliable, and you can check live schedules online via a smartphone to line up with when you leave your home or work. For instance, Trentbarton has a very efficient website which contains bus times, routes, live departures, travel alerts and ticket prices. Buses also have excellent range. With most buses these days, you’re able to scale the steepest of journeys, especially with an all-day ticket that lets you exchange between buses for no added cost. I’ve managed to get from Allestree in Derby to Nottingham city centre (and back) for a small price of £7, due to the convenience of the Trentbarton Zigzag ticket. New-style electric buses are popping up everywhere, meaning the margins are creeping ever closer towards fully-green routes. This will eventually change the game for good, if our exceptionally intelligent community manages to uncover the purest way of harvesting energy to translate into electricity. Elderly people over the age of 66 can get access to buses for free with a special travel card. Reduced prices are available for younger people too, depending on your circumstances – so have a look for what deals are available.
All of that being said, there are also some downsides to public transport to bear in mind. Germs are easily spread due to the large number of passengers exchanging seats throughout the day – something that deterred many from using public transport during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. On the other hand, you can conquer this issue by using hand sanitiser and/or wearing a facemask during your journey. Buses will sometimes run behind schedule, due to any accidents or traffic jams that may occur on your route, which cannot be helped. If your route becomes blocked for any given reason, it will take you much longer to get home. You’ll have to re-route, which may add at least 15-30 minutes onto your journey time – sometimes even-more, as I have recently experienced! If you’re an anxious person, you may find using the bus a little daunting. You may find yourself sitting next to ‘stressinducing people’, tapping, chewing or even bad hygiene. We all have to deal with these people once in a while. Nonetheless, there are many more upsides to getting the bus than not – so why not consider making a change to your routine if you feel public transport may be right for you?
THE POWER OF PETS: HOW THEY CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH - By Tristan Best
From my personal experience, having pets is one of the biggest blessings in life. Even though most of them can’t speak, they understand you and love you unconditionally. When your day at work has been harder than usual, they’ll be there for you, for that cuddle and their dinner.
Me and my household love the company of the feline sort. We’ve got plenty of cats, some who barely set foot outside – we call them the ‘house cats’. A great example of this would be Tiddles. He loathes the outdoors – the wind, the rain, the snow and the other animals out there. He’s softly spoken and loves to drink his weight in milk on a daily basis. Having pets is such a luxury – a gift for sure. I asked some people from my community a few questions regarding their opinions on pets and the impact their pets have on their mental health.
Jude, a retiree from Kedleston – birds
I asked Jude a couple of questions regarding her lifestyle, and whether she had pets. She mentioned that she had a cat called Gary, but what really caught my attention was her love for her two beautiful birds, an Indian Ringneck called Cherry Plum and a blue beaut called Kevin. They might be loud and messy, but they always provide the best company, making sure their presence is known. Cherry Plum is seven – he’s been around for a long time and will be with her for many years to come. Kevin is two and a half, so he’s still very young. He is a Blue Kakariki – ‘kaka’ meaning parrot, and ‘riki’ meaning small.
Laura, a carer from Allestree – cats
Laura happened to mention her many cats and her enormous passion for them, so I asked her how they benefit her mental health. She said, “It’s usually when you’re feeling down and out for the day when one of your pets comes and gives you that nudge you need. I love hugging and cuddling my cats – they have played a huge role in my household for years and will continue for many years to come.” She could be known as ‘the cat lady’ for all I know. She has a lot of cats: Timmy, Raven and Penny.
Louis, a music producer from Mackworth – dogs
I asked Louis how he thinks dogs affect his and general people’s mental health and he replied, “A dog is a man’s best friend. They’ll show you so much love no matter who you are in life, just as long as you treat them well”. He also spoke about how lonely people with dogs are likely to be cheered up and kept busy by their dogs and other pets. Naturally, that gives them their headspace and feeling of importance that they need, to know they’re a major part of their day, going for walks, feeding them, hugging them, and just sharing a general affection with one another. Louis has two Jack Russells called Gordy and Milo.
Kieran, a student from Allestree – cats and fish
My little brother Kieran loves his fish – and to fish. We’ve been going a lot quite recently, and have caught a lot on the way. Yes, we may not catch record breakers, but we catch up with each other, and more importantly he gets his head away from school and homework (not that he actually does his homework). All of this cheers him up and gets him outside. His fish at home, on the other hand, are members of our family. Kieran loves to spend time with Nemo and Dory (unoriginal, I know), watching them swim and do their thing. Dory is the small one, and Nemo is the bigger one. Kieran also loves his cats. He grew up with them, so he’s found himself developing great bonds with all of his cats, he had his own cat who sadly passed away with old age. He speaks fondly of her – her name was Scraggs, and she was a gorgeous grey persian. Now he has cats such as Teddy Bear, Mia and Marina. They make him laugh and give him someone to play with when other people in his household are busy. Overall, after speaking to various people, I find animals of all kinds have a positive impact on human mental health. But remember – you must make sure to leave a positive impact on them too by providing proper care to any animal you keep as a pet.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DEPRESSION (MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER)
By Vara Saripalli, Psy.D.
What is depression?
Depression is classified as a mood disorder. It may be described as feelings of sadness, loss, or anger that interfere with a person’s everyday activities. It’s also fairly common. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionTrusted Source estimates that 18.5 percent of American adults had symptoms of depression in any given 2-week period in 2019. Though depression and grief share some features, depression is different from grief felt after losing a loved one or sadness felt after a traumatic life event. Depression usually involves self-loathing or a loss of self-esteem, while grief typically does not. In grief, positive emotions and happy memories of the deceased typically accompany feelings of emotional pain. In major depressive disorder, the feelings of sadness are constant. People experience depression in different ways. It may interfere with your daily work, resulting in lost time and lower productivity. It can also influence relationships and some chronic health conditions.
Conditions that can get worse due to depression include:
arthritis | asthma | cardiovascular disease | cancer | diabetes | obesity It’s important to realize that feeling down at times is a normal part of life. Sad and upsetting events happen to everyone. But if you’re feeling down or hopeless on a regular basis, you could be dealing with depression. Depression is considered a serious medical condition that can get worse without proper treatment.
Depression symptoms
Depression can be more than a constant state of sadness or feeling “blue.” Major depression can cause a variety of symptoms. Some affect your mood and others affect your body. Symptoms may also be ongoing or come and go.
General signs and symptoms
Not everyone with depression will experience the same symptoms. Symptoms can vary in severity, how often they happen, and how long they last. If you experience some of the following signs and symptomsTrusted Source of depression nearly every day for at least 2 weeks, you may be living with depression: • feeling sad, anxious, or “empty” • feeling hopeless, worthless, and pessimistic • crying a lot • feeling bothered, annoyed, or angry • loss of interest in hobbies and interests you once enjoyed • decreased energy or fatigue • difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions • moving or talking more slowly • difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping • appetite or weight changes • chronic physical pain with no clear cause that does not get better with treatment (headaches, aches or pains, digestive problems, cramps) • thoughts of death, suicide, selfharm, or suicide attempts The symptoms of depression can be experienced differently among males, females, teens, and children. Males may experience symptoms related to their:
• mood, such as anger, aggressiveness, irritability, anxiousness, or restlessness • emotional well-being, such as feeling empty, sad, or hopeless • behavior, such as loss of interest, no longer finding pleasure in favorite activities, feeling tired easily, thoughts of suicide, drinking excessively, using drugs, or engaging in high-risk activities • sexual interest, such as reduced sexual desire or lack of sexual performance • cognitive abilities, such as inability to concentrate, difficulty completing tasks, or delayed responses during conversations • sleep patterns, such as insomnia, restless sleep, excessive sleepiness, or not sleeping through the night • physical well-being, such as fatigue, pains, headache, or digestive problems Females may experience symptoms related to their:
• mood, such as irritability • emotional well-being, such as feeling sad or empty, anxious, or hopeless • behavior, such as loss of interest in activities, withdrawing from social engagements, or thoughts of suicide • cognitive abilities, such as thinking or talking more slowly • sleep patterns, such as difficulty sleeping through the night, waking early, or sleeping too much • physical well-being, such as decreased energy, greater fatigue, changes in appetite, weight changes, aches, pain, headaches, or increased cramps For more: https://www.healthline. com/health/depression#symptoms
By Jamie Morris
World AIDS Day has taken place every December since 1988 – here’s why its 35th iteration is just as important.
Every year without fail on 1st December, people from all over the world come together to stand in solidarity with people living with HIV, and to pay their respects to those who have died from AIDSrelated illness.
Founded in 1988 by James Bunn and Thomas Netter, World AIDS Day was the first ever internationallyobserved day focused on people’s health. At the time, 1st December was decided upon as the optimal day for western media attention due to it falling between the US presidential election (won by George H. W. Bush) and the Christmas holidays, and it’s been held on the same day ever since. Over the decades, the day has massively boosted public awareness of AIDS, with the likes of the President of the United States and the Pope making statements to kickstart discussions around AIDS and HIV every year. Knowing the meanings of and the distinction between these two terms is key to understanding the goals of World AIDS Day. HIV stands for ‘human immunodeficiency virus’, and weakens the body’s ability to fight everyday infections and disease by damaging the cells in the immune system. AIDS, on the other hand, is the acronym for ‘acquired immune deficiency syndrome’, and describes a number of life-threatening infections and illnesses that can occur if your immune system has been compromised by HIV. With an early diagnosis and effective treatments, most people with HIV will not develop any AIDS-related illnesses and can live a long, healthy and happy life. However, many people around the world still face social and economic barriers to treatment – something highlighted by healthcare inequalities during the pandemic – which is why the theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is ‘global solidarity and shared responsibility’. This World AIDS Day, everyone from grassroots community activists to governments and faith leaders are being urged to join the fight to ensure that health systems are fully-financed, testing and treatment is made more accessible, human rights are respected and gender equality is recognised. The United Nations aims to eliminate AIDS as a public health problem by 2030 by preventing HIV transmissions. The figure it’s using as a goal is ‘90-90-90’, which refers to making sure that: • 90% of people living with HIV are diagnosed • 90% of people who are diagnosed receive effective treatment • 90% of people receiving treatment are unable to pass on the infection to others
People being treated for HIV whose levels of the virus are undetectable for at least six months are unable to pass the infection on. HIV is not as easily transmitted as cold and flu viruses or Covid-19. Saliva, sweat and urine do not contain enough of the virus to infect someone, but semen, vaginal fluids, blood, breast milk and the lining inside the anus do. Therefore, most people diagnosed with HIV in the UK acquire the virus through unprotected vaginal or anal sex.
People who are at risk of contracting HIV include men who have sex with men, transgender women, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and anyone with a HIV-positive partner. In addition, Black heterosexual people and migrants to the UK may also both be at risk.
Symptoms of HIV may not appear for years after transmission, so the only way to find out if you have it is to get tested, which is a service provided to anyone free of charge on the NHS. If you discover you don’t have HIV, but are still at risk of contracting it, you could be eligible for a free prescription of pre-exposure HIV prophylaxis – or PrEP, for short – which is a small, blue tablet that protects from transmission.
Whether it’s by making the decision to get tested yourself, supporting a friend or helping to raise awareness more broadly, there are many ways to get involved on World AIDS Day. You can also make a donation online and stand in solidarity by wearing a red ribbon. Whatever you do, make it count. Find out more at worldaidsday.org and yoursexualhealthmatters.org.uk
