Good to Talk · Life gets bloody hard · Free. Always.
Mates matter
If you or someone else is in danger, call 999 or go to A&E. If you need urgent mental-health help but it is not an emergency, use NHS 111 online or call 111 and select the mental-health option.
Plenty of men have people to go for a pint with and nobody they think they can tell they're struggling.
Friendship doesn't need to become therapy
Checking in, doing something together, listening without taking the piss for five minutes and remembering to ask again next week can matter enormously.
Make the first move
Adult friendships often fade through logistics rather than a falling-out. Send the message instead of waiting to see who contacts you first.
Go one question further
If a mate says he's “fine” but clearly isn't, try: “No, seriously — how are you?” Our later Good to Talk release will build a full helping-a-mate pathway, including what to do when you're genuinely worried about somebody's safety.
You're not the only one
Sources & further reading
- NHS Every Mind Matters — life's challenges
- NHS Every Mind Matters — mental wellbeing tips
- NHS — mental health
Educational information, not a diagnosis. Where a problem involves money, gambling, alcohol, abuse, bereavement or another specialist issue, use an appropriate specialist service as well as mental-health support where needed.