Mind our Men – What’s been getting to us lately?

From stress to money problems to bad weather, the Irish male has a lot on his plate these days, which is why it’s more important than ever to talk it out.

By Adrian Collins

Stress at work, relationship problems, or something as seemingly trivial as the weather getting us down, we have plenty to talk about when we’re chatting to the lads, but what about when we want to talk about something more seriously?

There’s no reason why we can’t go to our significant other, or to our family and friends, they’re the people who look out for us at the end of the day, and that’s exactly what Pieta House’s new campaign Mind our Men is all about.

Mind our Men wants to give us that nudge to open up, and to do that they’ve got all our friends and family looking out for us to give us that bit of extra support if we ever feel like we need help.

No matter who it is you choose to talk to, the important thing is that you talk and let someone know that you’ve got an issue you want to discuss, even if it’s just to let someone know that you’re okay at the minute or that you’re feeling a bit snowed under.

It’s time for Irish lads to stop thinking about our mental health as something separate to our physical health, it's all part of the same package.

Of course, the time we spend working out or playing sports is a great boost and helps us clear our heads too, but we can’t be afraid to show that we want to talk about something, that we’re stressed or that we need someone to listen.

It’s not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign that we understand that we could use someone to bounce ideas off, to give us a bit of a hand. Think of it like getting someone to spot you in the gym, you’re getting a hand to make sure you get stronger in the long run.

So remember lads, no matter what you might think, someone is always there to listen. Check out www.mindourmen.ie or www.pieta.ie if you want to talk about something, anything at all, and let someone know that you’re doing alright.