‘Coming Out' to Raise Awareness

The world of entertainment has been rocked in the past 12 months with high-profile male suicides, each of which did something new to boost the awareness levels of (male) mental health issues.

Most salient to me was the death of Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, who took his own life before the band’s US leg of a world tour after struggling with mental health problems since childhood.

Chester was something of an icon to me, and the band’s music was a constant throughout my adolescence. I’m sure I won’t be alone in empathizing with the rawness of Mike Shinoda’s forthcoming Post-Traumatic album, which contains songs written in the aftermath of his friend’s death.

The band, along with Chester’s wife Talinda, launched a massive campaign to raise awareness of mental health issues — 320 Changes Direction — just after the singer’s premature death.

More directly related specifically to male mental health, the UK has seen a number of lower league footballers share their experiences of distress. Early in 2018, Billy Kee of Accrington Stanley shared his personal story about depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, while more recently, Lincoln City’s Billy Knott discussed his own battles with depression and alcohol dependency in the aftermath of a relationship breakdown.

These types of stories are so important.

Far removed from the glitz and glamour of the English Premier League, the players at this level of football typically associate with their overwhelmingly male fan base on a weekly basis. Many even know fans by name.

By ‘coming out' in this way, they personalize the issue of mental health in a way that destigmatizes it, and makes it much more real for those who may be considering whether they too might need some support.

In the UK, we’ve also just had the first ever male suicide storyline being aired on a national television drama. The story on Coronation Street depicted a male character who, after not outwardly showing signs of depression, take his own life. According to the producers, the aim of the storyline was “to give people who hide their feelings of desperation a chance to start a conversation”.

This approach raises awareness among both men and women about the signs to look out for when it comes to males' experiences of mental distress, and can only serve a positive purpose as we grapple with this growing public health problem. It also breaks down the popular stereotype that people who are depressed and considering taking their own life show signs of this in the lead-up to the event.