Good to Talk · Free. Always.
Stuff we need to stop telling ourselves
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.
A few ideas have done men absolutely no favours.
“Other people have it worse.”
Probably. Somebody else having a broken leg does not make your sprained ankle imaginary. You do not need to win a suffering competition before asking for help.
“I should be able to sort this myself.”
Self-help can be useful. So can medication, therapy, a GP, your partner, your mates and other support. Needing help is not evidence that you've failed at self-help.
“Talking won't change the problem.”
Talking may not pay the mortgage or undo a bereavement. It can still reduce isolation, help you think more clearly, connect you with treatment and make the problem less lonely to carry.
“If I ask about suicide, I'll put the idea in someone's head.”
When you're worried about somebody, avoiding the subject does not make risk disappear. Our later Good to Talk release will include a dedicated, clinically reviewed guide to asking directly and getting urgent help.
Keep going
Sources & further reading
- NHS — feelings and symptoms
- NHS Every Mind Matters — mental health issues
- NICE NG222 — depression in adults: treatment and management
Clinical information should be reviewed periodically against current NHS/NICE guidance. This content is educational and is not a diagnosis.