Didn't You Know It's Men's Mental Health Week

Welcome Back!

Welcome to this week's The Attention Seeker Newsletter.

This week it’s men's mental health week so, our ECD/GM Nate is taking the reigns.

So, we’re going to be talking about Mental Heath with some of our team.

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Nate

Abused at a young age.

I’m no stranger to the struggles of serious mental illness.

It sounds strange.

But, for years, I had no idea there was anything wrong.

I just got drunk and high.

A lot.

Eventually, I got pretty close to suicide.

That was a wake-up call.

Luckily for me.

My brain sent me to my doctor.

Who referred me to a psychiatrist.

I was diagnosed with Complex-PSTD.

And have been in therapy ever since.

Yes, I know, I am fortunate that I can afford that.

Not everyone can.

It saved my life.

And although I’m not fixed.

(That’s not an option sadly).

I’m able to function.

Live a reasonably ‘normal’ life.

My point….

We don’t know who has been through what.

And we don’t know, what we don’t know.

I wish I could give it back.

But I can’t.

And who knows.

The person sitting next to you.

Could have been through the same thing.

Or worse.

So.

Just…

Be kind.

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Sam

Why do Kiwi men have such shocking mental health statistics?

Because we don't have many positive male role models that show caring and kindness to their "bros".

Most human behaviour is mimicked by others. So if we see our male role models exhibiting empathy and emotions, we're likely to do the same.

Many Kiwi kids grow up without a strong father figure, and while I don't think a dad is necessary within a family, it's important for our boys to have men to look up to.

This could be coaches, teachers, celebrities, community leaders etc.

We all need to step up and show off our softer side if we ever expect our boys to do the same.

If we can teach boys that being emotional is okay, they'll grow up being able to regulate their feelings better, impacting how they treat themselves and others.

This kind of change will take time.

But if you're a man reading this, think about how you behave and who might be watching and learning from your actions.

It takes only a little effort to approach situations with kindness.

And you might teach those around you something as well.

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Connor

When someone asks me if I have any experience with mental health, my immediate response is no.

But then I think about it more.

That's not true.

When I was younger, I was often bullied for being so into scootering.

Bullying does always impact one's mental health.

It made talking about it to people hard for me.

I often avoided the topic because I didn't want people to make fun of me.

As an adult, I actively create a community for scootering to be more accepted.

Why?

To reduce bullying.

Not just for myself but for all in the scootering community.

I'm doing this through Daplaza - a scooter clothing brand. I use my scooter mates as my models and the skate park for promo content.

My main goal is to make scootering recognised as a proper sport and less bullying as a strong community is built.

Showing people that Scootering isn't just a kid's toy anymore.

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Chris

I often still struggle with the black dog myself. My passion for music has always been my safe space, an opportunity to close out all the external noise and focus on what makes you happy.

Having lost friends, mentors, and the very people I turned to for help with the black dog over the past, Mental health has always been at the forefront of my mind.

People spend their lives trying to look for happiness with no success. This will happen to you if you try to look for happiness.

You will spend a miserable journey trying to look for something that is not there.

Happiness is not something that you look for because happiness comes from within.

Happiness is you. stop looking and live in the now.

Experience the moment.

Get away from your computer, stop comparing yourself to others, be happy.

Happiness is living, confronting your fears with the courage to face them.

To do things that you have never done before.

Fail, get back up again, live with uncertainty, live unpredictably, don't comfort yourself with living comfortably.

Happiness is not something you can achieve.

Happiness is something you live.

NEVER BE AFRAID TO REACH FOR HELP.

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