Stigma Archives - Oxfordshire Youth https://oxfordshireyouth.org/tag/stigma/ Supporting young people to be the best they can be Mon, 30 Jun 2025 10:55:18 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://oxfordshireyouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-Fav-Icon-32x32.png Stigma Archives - Oxfordshire Youth https://oxfordshireyouth.org/tag/stigma/ 32 32 Our last thoughts of June: Men’s Mental Health https://oxfordshireyouth.org/our-last-thoughts-of-june-mens-mental-health/ Mon, 30 Jun 2025 10:55:17 +0000 https://oxy.mediasitesvr1.co.uk/?p=7466 Men's mental health is a rising concern that we need to talk about.

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Men face a lifetime of stigma and silence when it comes to mental health and struggling with mental health issues. Many men believe that they should be seen as only strong, independent, and tough… But why does this mean that they can’t suffer from poor mental health? 

  • Being strong is talking.
  • Being independent is working through the things that darken your mind, even if you need a helping hand to do so.
  • Being tough is having the strength to say, “I’m struggling,” and “I need help.“

None of these things make you less of a man.

We need to fight this stigma, allow men to talk, and actively work on making men feel comfortable enough to express themselves… 

Why?

  • Because 74% of ALL deaths by suicide in the UK are men.
  • Because only 36% of all NHS referrals for therapy are men.
  • Because men are 3x more likely to develop a dependence on substances.

Here at Oxfordshire Youth, we want to address these growing issues because men deserve to be in a world where they can talk, be heard, be seen, and get help for the things that they are struggling with.

1 in 8 men have a mental health disorder in the UK…

But how many actually seek support? 

Would the number increase if more men sought help?

We need to work together to lower the number of suicidal, substance-dependent, and silenced men.

We need to work together to increase the number of men seeking help.

Collectively as a society, we need to change these statistics, and here at Oxfordshire Youth, we want to do just that.

Please watch the video below, featuring some inspirational men from Oxfordshire Youth, as they discuss mental health, share their personal struggles, and explain why it is crucial to combat the stigma, stand in solidarity with men, and encourage them to seek support when needed.

Real men cry too….

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