STAFF at a mental health service in Exmouth, run by the national charity Rethink Mental Illness are highlighting the importance of mental health during Men’s Health Week (June 9-15).
The Devon Community Opportunities service helps men and women affected by mental illness, such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The charity runs similar services throughout England.
The service supports people regain confidence and develop ways in which to manage their mental health problems.
Ally Grove works at Rethink Mental Illness. She says: “One in four people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. Either you or someone close to you will be affected, so this is an issue that affects us all.
“We find that men can be more reluctant to seek help for their mental health, due to the stigma that still persists. During Men’s Health Week, we want to get the message out to all men in Devon that reaching out for support is not a sign of weakness, in fact it takes a lot of strength.
"There is no need to suffer in silence, there is treatment available and people do recover from mental health problems.
"As well as our local service, there is lots of information on the Rethink Mental Illness website and we also have a national advice line that people can call if they’re worried about themselves or someone close to them.”
People can access the service directly. For more information, please call 01395 267114, email email@example.com or visit www.rethink.org