MANUP? Founder kicks off the Equality Society’s activities focusing on men’s mental health

Dan Somers, Founder of men’s mental health charity MANUP?, delivered the latest BeyondCHS talk to Year 13 pupils. MANUP? aims to bring awareness to men’s mental health, helping people to start discussions rather than suffer in silence, and highlighting what people can do to cope with mental illness.

A key message in Dan’s talk was how we all need to challenge the adopted term of ‘MAN UP’ as we know it – to brush yourself down and get on with it. Rather we should look to the Oxford Dictionary definition: “Be brave or tough enough to deal with a difficult or unpleasant situation”. Through Dan’s personal stories he shared that being brave and tough might be as simple as reaching out to a friend to talk about what’s on your mind.

Dan’s top tip for pupils was how to listen to their friends. If someone starts to talk about something that is causing them to get annoyed, sad or distressed then it’s not time to put on a white coat and try to diagnose them, or give unsolicited advice. It’s time to listen, and be there for them. Just be a mate.

If you’d like to find out more about MANUP?, or are interested in featuring in one of their mental health videos or vlogs, visit their website https://www.manup.how/

Keep your eyes peeled for more updates from CHS’s pupil-led Equality Society about their activities focusing on men’s mental health.