Male raising awareness for Mental Health

S.G.M.

Just wondering what peoples opinion is regarding a fella raising mental health awareness.

I'm in my 20's and have suffered from mental illness from a young age. I've been trying to raise awareness over the last year through social media but find that I don't get much engagement.
For example a post of me socialising gets far more engagement. Now I understand that as it's more personal but I've seen women raise awareness and get lots of engagement.

Total honesty here please, do people feel a fella raising awareness may be seen differently to a woman?
Some of these answers may help me to get my content across.
Thanks

Rufeo

Is that you Bressie?

I don't understand why a man raising awareness is any different to a woman. Lots of men in the media have spoken about their own experiences with mental illness.

Vic_08

Worrying about social media likes doesn't sound like something that will help with mental health issues.

triona1

In your 20's my son is having tea with me he's 21 and my 18 year old feck no's what he's doing never mind my 24 year old jesus now im worried,But definitely not posting on here.

My daughter that's 16 is a different story

Fr_Dougal

How are you raising awareness, OP? Is it posts on Facebook? If so, what is the content like?

I agree with Persepoly, men and women are not treated differently that I can see.

triona1

He needs confection fr.

Fr_Dougal

triona1 wrote: »

He needs confection fr.

Wouldn’t mind some chocolate myself!

triona1

Better than bread fr

The whole idea of mental health has long been so ruined that nobody pays attention to the genuine cases now anyway. It’s going to be a long time bringing it back, if it ever can be at all so I wouldn’t worry too much about which sex gets more attention.

SEPT 23 1989

People will listen to you more if you are not trying to sell something

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

People are actually probably a bit jaded with the topic at this stage.

suicide_circus

Rufeo wrote: »

Is that you Bressie?

i heard Bressie introduced on the radio today as a "mindfulness expert".

sounds better that "Z list celebrity" i suppose.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

suicide_circus wrote: »

i heard Bressie introduced on the radio today as a "mindfulness expert".

sounds better that "Z list celebrity" i suppose.

Well, the music career is over. He gotta do something!

TuringBot47

S.G.M. wrote: »

I've been trying to raise awareness over the last year through social media but find that I don't get much engagement.

What outcome are you hoping for?
If you're in your 20's I imagine most of your social circle is too, and wouldn't necessarily be the most supportive or mature bunch? Or wouldn't know what to say...

When you say "engagement" are you hoping to interact with others who suffer the same?
Maybe social media isn't the most targeted way to go, you might need to look for dedicated support groups?

One eyed Jack

S.G.M. wrote: »

Total honesty here please, do people feel a fella raising awareness may be seen differently to a woman?
Some of these answers may help me to get my content across.

It’s just me personally, but yeah, I do feel that there is a difference in how a guy raising awareness of mental health issues is perceived by comparison to how a woman raising awareness of mental health issues is perceived. Generally speaking, they’re appealing to different audiences. Engagement will also depend on the social media platforms being used.

For example my brother gives me a pain in my face going on about mental health, but on social media he gets lots of genuine engagement, and the majority of his audience are men. A good site to track your stats and analyse engagement with your audience and tailor your content accordingly is Social Blade -

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Blade

Don’t be put off by the lack of engagement though or what looks like other people getting lots of engagement with their content. There are plenty of ways to use bots and paid for views and subs to boost your stats, as opposed to genuine engagement with your audience.

Blindboy and Bressie give me a pain in my face too, nothing personal, just I can’t relate to their content, but obviously they’re getting engagement and they’re getting their content out there. They’re doing it because there’s no shortage of an audience for this kind of stuff. I know one content creator who was getting lots of engagement with her social commentary content, and as soon as she dipped into the mental health stuff, her stats dropped off a cliff, people just stopped engaging.

Engagement will depend upon a couple of factors really, and if people can relate to your content, your audience should grow organically. The main thing is though that if you’re serious about it, stick with it. It can be fairly rough at the best of times, but I know a few people who make a reasonable living for themselves from it. You have to stay motivated even when you don’t feel like it, as paradoxical as that may seem when you’re talking about mental health.

triona1

That'll learn you

ChikiChiki

Sad thing is a lot of people despite the "open up and talk line" don't want to hear about mental health issues.

Chose wisely who you open up to. 110% trust and confidence.

Irish Guitarist

Every second person here seems to suffer from depression. If you give your opinion on a mental health issue and it differs from theirs though you'll get comments to the effect of "what would you know, you obviously don't suffer from depression". One example of this was when I posted my opinion on a thread about euthanasia which was that I wouldn't agree with doctors euthanising people who are suicidal. Apparently this opinion makes me the most insensitive bastard in the world. I wouldn't bother my arse posting on those types of threads anymore.

S.G.M.

triona1 wrote:

That'll learn you

Powerful comment here.

punisher5112

Social media needs to get real or perhaps people themselves.....

The whole thing of looking for validation or likes or to get the gossip or whatever.....

It's actually quite sad and people imo are getting thicker and less likely to actually socialise properly.

Kids shouldn't be anywhere near most of not all social media and to be honest seeing kids of 8 with expensive smart phones is beyond ridiculous..... They will run rings around nearly all parents....

Sure my young one at 2 could do so much on the phone without even fully getting what she was doing....

If you are been bullied or abused best advice is get off the site, block the a holes, talk to someone and don't bottle it up or go it alone....

Had a very tough time in school all the way through and all I'll say is I'm delighted I didn't have to suffer with the likes of social media and getting away to the country in the summer was like heaven....

Bobblehats

Could be worse. You could be happy; but look depressed you know how difficult that is to overcome?

Tell me how

S.G.M. wrote: »

Just wondering what peoples opinion is regarding a fella raising mental health awareness.

I'm in my 20's and have suffered from mental illness from a young age. I've been trying to raise awareness over the last year through social media but find that I don't get much engagement.
For example a post of me socialising gets far more engagement. Now I understand that as it's more personal but I've seen women raise awareness and get lots of engagement.

Total honesty here please, do people feel a fella raising awareness may be seen differently to a woman?
Some of these answers may help me to get my content across.
Thanks

What are you hoping for?

A - Awareness of mental health difficulties and opportunities for help?
B - Recognition that you are creating an awareness of mental health difficulties and opportunities for help?

They are 2 very different things.

If you are placing yourself and your experience at the center of a lot of the content which you are publishing then people may not focus on the topic but see it as you trying to get attention (even though your intention is purely Option A above).

I don't think males or females would experience this differently. Females can generally be quicker to like a friends posts but that's the case for all content, not just mental health related.

JohnnyFlash

Closing all social media accounts would probably help with the anxiety that is so prevalent in today’s society.

feelthepower

I get the sense of please like my posts and follow me.

Airyfairy12

There are allot of men who advocate for mental health.
Dont be using gender as an excuse because didnt get the attention you were hoping for.


Could it be the way youre going about it? Maybe youre not expressing yourself in a way that other people connect with.

Lyan

I've seen that cycle for suicide thing had some success. Perhaps look into that?

Mind you I think it's a little unorthodox to reduce mental illness numbers via encouraging sufferers to off themselves. Can't argue with the logic though I suppose.

1800_Ladladlad

IMO - Mental illness/health/awareness is so played out. It's a serious issue that's been exploited in many ways by people looking to crowdsource their self-esteem. It's been trivialized to the extent that some people question a person's motives and the legitimacy of their posts. A frightening amount of individuals provides "press" like statements as if they are playing to the crowd in the same way influencers do. Its ****e dilemma to be in; believe they're genuine or be an ar*shole for not doing so. It's difficult to tell who is legit.

There is false information being put by uneducated individuals who think that they are doing the right thing when the information they are stating are factually incorrect and are simply subjective opinions. This is dangerous. Mental illness is a medical illness; I strongly feel that when people look to spread awareness on mental health, it only serves to appropriate the mentally ill who have a diagnosis

I don't look to social media a way of gaining insight or awareness because of the above. I don't talk to the lads that much about mental health issues. Its natural in conversation and never feels forced. I only share my issues to a certain extent, not because I don't feel I cant talk to them or that they are in any way emotionally inept in supporting me, I know they are there and vice versa, but If I need help with something so important as my psychological state, I go to speak to someone who is trained to do so. Iv did this many times. It has worked for me and the others have done the same. That may not work for others, but awareness online is only usual when you are actually looking at facts. Not an opinion.

If a single life is saved through the spreading awareness as I explained above, then its worth it, I wouldn't be concerned with how many likes you get and why another gender isnt as concerned as the other.