Oxford
Oxfordshire OX1 4AU
UK
Why is it so difficult for men to talk about mental health problems? Cultural expectations of men, and the supposedly contradictory natures of vulnerability and masculinity are believed to counteract against many men’s likelihoods of seeking advice and support. Too often, boys and men are told to ‘man up’ instead of dealing with mental health issues and seeking help.
There are some startling figures which highlight these cultural failures. For example, whilst 72% of people treated for depression are women, 75% of people who take their own lives are men, with suicide being the single most common cause of death in men below the age of 35.
Furthermore, men with mental health problems are also at greater risk of homelessness, are more likely to suffer from alcohol and drug addictions, and are far more involved with the criminal justice system, with men representing 95% of the prison population.
NB: Mind Your Head Campaign defines a man as anyone who partially or wholly identifies as a man.
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So, what can we do to combat this stigma and better understand the issues men suffering from mental health problems experience in 2016? We invite you to join us and participate in a panel discussion with the following fantastic speakers:
JONNY BENJAMIN:
Author, vlogger, and mental health campaigner Jonny Benjamin came to the fore in January 2014 after launching social media campaign ‘Find Mike’ in an attempt to search for the stranger who talked him out of taking his own life in 2008. The story received global media attention, with Jonny quickly finding his stranger Neil Laybourn. He has helped thousands by sharing his experiences through his YouTube channel, and his poetry book ‘Pill After Pill: Poems from a Schizophrenic Mind’, as well as his documentary ‘Failed by the NHS’ in which he investigated why many young people are failing to get the right treatment from the NHS.
JAMES RHODES:
British concert pianist, blogger, UCL psychology graduate, and presenter of ‘Notes from the Inside with James Rhodes’, James stopped playing the piano entirely in 1993 due to mental health issues. Since his recovery and a meteoric rise to fame, James has battled against the stigma surrounding mental health and explored the role music has to play in improving sufferer’s lives. James recently released a raw autobiography of which he said ‘It’s important to say bad things happen – and we don’t lie about it.’
STELIOS KIOSSES:
Psychotherapist and presenter of Channel 4’s ‘The Hoarder Next Door’, Stelios studied Psychodynamic Counselling at the University of Oxford and specialises in evidence-based treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy. He is very active across the country in highlighting depressive disorders and their related treatments.
STUART SEMPLE:
Contemporary artist, curator, and ambassador for mental health charity MIND. Stuart has also spoken for Amnesty about positive mental health being a human right, and has explored the role of creativity in recovery – as exhibited by his number 1 best selling ‘My Happy Colouring Flip Book’ for which £1 of proceeds from each book go to MIND.
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Venue: Grove Auditorium, Magdalen College
Doors open 4:30pm
Event begins 4:45pm
£2 for students (bring ID)
£4 for non-students
Please enter from Longwall Street Gate instead of the Porters Lodge on the High Street.
Grove Auditorium
Magdalen College
Oxford OX1 4AU
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/GI0GB
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There will be opportunities to dine with the speakers after the event. Please get in touch at [email protected] to get a place.