Men – You’re Not Alone
You may be a man. You may be depressed. You’re not alone. It’s a hectic world, a world that can easily get on top of you. It’s easy to feel isolated and lonely. You may want to talk about your daily struggles and negative feelings that niggle away at you all the time. You don’t know where to turn, or fear that you may be judged.
The effects of Depression
Depression can happen to anyone, of any age. Depression is different from feeling down or sad. Unhappiness is something which everyone feels from time to time and, in the main, be attributed to a particular cause.
A person suffering from depression will experience intense emotions of anxiety, negativity, hopelessness and helplessness.
“As a man, it is still difficult to open up about the way you feel,” Simon, who contacted Samaritans in 2014 after spending the best part of a decade struggling with depression.
“It isn’t ‘manly’ to seem vulnerable, to share your feelings. The trouble is, for men who are battling depression, this expectation can be damaging. If you carry on bottling things up, overtime they will overwhelm you.
“It isn’t easy to explain how isolating depression can be. It’s as though you are stuck in this dark bubble, without any way of seeing out. People can see that you are finding life tough, but don’t know how to help.
“Ignoring the way you are feeling doesn’t make it go away. All too often men hold back and keep what is bothering them to themselves. The trouble is, if you try and tackle all your fears alone, you can lose sight of the fact that you can work a way through. Samaritans don’t give advice they listen. They know you are the expert on your own life. And with a listening ear, you can break down your problems into smaller, more manageable ones.”
Samaritans offer a safe space
Samaritans offer a safe space to talk – no problem is too big or too small. You can talk to us about whatever’s getting to you. We’re here 24/7, 365 days a year. Whoever you are, however you feel, whatever life’s done to you, we listen.
Many people may feel like they don’t have anywhere to seek support. Samaritans volunteers are ordinary people who do extraordinary things to support people when they are at their most vulnerable. They work hard to provide a space for people in crisis, even during the loneliest hours of the night to offer support without fear of judgement.
The fact that most of the calls are made to the service at night reflect the importance of the 24-hour support which Samaritans offers.
More Information
If you need to talk to someone, about anything at any time, free call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org – you don’t need to suffer in silence. Check out the Samaritans website for information, supports and where to find your local branch.