To address ever-growing concerns around men’s mental health, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy has launched an innovative campaign called R.A.I.S.E. as part of Men’s Health Awareness Month.
R.A.I.S.E. is designed to help men, and their loved ones, recognise often subtle signs of depression. It also aims to promote the benefits of seeking professional support from a therapist.
Rise in depression in men
Recent data from a BACP survey of over 3,000 therapists has revealed that 52% of practitioners witnessed a surge in men seeking help for depression over the past year. Yet, the survey also highlighted a concerning statistic: 56% of therapists agreed that men are less likely to seek mental health support than women. A reluctance to seek help may be down to stigma and oldfashioned bravado among those of us who don’t want to admit to needing support when it comes to mental health issues.
“Depression in men often gets overlooked, as men tend to live with their struggles silently,” says Anthony Davis, a BACP therapist and contributor to the R.A.I.S.E. campaign. “Their symptoms can also manifest in different ways than their loved ones would expect, meaning they can sometimes go unnoticed or unaddressed.”