by Azar Ullah, Head of Recruitment
As part of Mental Health Awareness week we are thinking particularly about Men’s Mental Health. We spoke with Azar Ullah, our Head of Recruitment, to reflect on mental health awareness. We were also interested to see how the elements of Everyone Everywhere fit with looking after your mental wellbeing, thinking about using connections and skills to help others.
Awareness
In terms of awareness, men’s mental health is still a taboo subject for a lot of men. There are a large proportion of men who feel scared or worried to share how they feel with their friends, colleagues and families. And we know what this can mean and lead to.
Connections and skills
As an organisation we are thinking about our staff and men’s mental health in the workplace. In one area we have developed a group for men that started as a one off, a space to come together and chat or learn something new. It was so successful we are hoping to do it again. It would be great to use our skills as people working for a national organisation.
We are training people to be mental health first aiders, and having an awareness of men’s mental health is key. We are looking to have someone whose focus is in this area.
Looking outwards
It can be hard to find mental health support, it’s so stretched through the NHS but I do think that we need to look outwards and share what’s happening locally that can work for different people at different times. Whether that’s something like the Man Cave in Milton Keynes or Off Load in Warrington.
Sharing our stories
And then it’s about sharing stories and resources around what works – we are all different but can inspire each other.
I use fitness as a tool to help me through and part of this is about what you listen to when you stick your headphones in. For me it’s about positive affirmations and believing in yourself and that life is full up and downs but try to focus on the positives. My go to podcast is a Denzel Washington one. He talks about his life and how many rejections he’s had through his life and how It’s a sense of motivation and makes me feel so much better afterwards.
More perspectives
We spoke to some other male colleagues about mental health and what helps them:
I think our minds can be like browsers with loads of tabs open. Meditation for me is having a minute to close those tabs and reboot. Which I don’t think we do that often. I wanted to look for something to help me feel organised and make that time for myself. I have tried a couple of apps, and the one that I use is called Fabulous. It’s good because it reminds me about things like being grateful. When you are being grateful you can’t be anxious. And it’s not about doing it when you are in crisis, if you don’t look after yourself every day you are more likely to get in crisis. This app helps me to get into a good space each day.
- Adam
I do a lot of things, it’s important to keep busy. I go to gym, music or dance. Cooking dinners and using the air fryer makes me feel good! You can put anything in there and it’s healthy and crispy… mmmmm. At the gym I use the bike, rowing machine and treadmill. I listen to 80s and 90s music and Motown. It’s important to me to celebrate. I won an award at the Dimensions Leaders and I am nominated for a Marjorie Newton Wright award – that makes me feel really good.
- Iain
