mytimeCommunity interest company My Time CIC has produced a new film that is being launched in GP surgeries during Men’s Health Week [10-16 June] to highlight the different way in which men and women tend to deal with experiencing mental ill health.

Despite similar numbers of men and women experiencing mental illness, the West Midlands-based community interest company, suggests that "men tend to look at the problems rather than their emotions and are more concerned with power, pride and success".

Unable to share feelings
Michael Lilley, CEO of My Time CIC, added: "“The stigma faced by men with mental ill health is very real. Too often they feel unable to share their feelings believing it’s wrong to show their vulnerabilities.

"As a result they rarely seek help and the consequences can be devastating, both for them and those around them. We need to change people’s perspective and by doing so change the behaviour of men suffering mental ill health so they can break free of the downward spiral."

Common mental health issues for men
Research by My Time CIC found that 1 in 7 men will develop depression within 6 months of unemployment and 3 out of 4 people who kill themselves are men.

These are just some of the issues highlighted in the video, which you can watch at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8fq_X86aYY. The film features real My Time service users giving accounts of their mental health issues, all of which are common in men.

Lilley hopes it will inform and educate and so help to break down the damaging stigma of mental ill health among men. It has been launched in GP surgeries throughout the Midlands this week to coincide with Men's Health Week.

Led by the Men’s Health Forum, Men’s Health Week aims to tackle the stigma in men’s mental health and promote mental well-being and help-seeking in men.

For more information visit www.menshealthforum.org.uk