Getting help
Asking for help
A lot of men find it hard to ask for help and this could be for a number of different reasons:
- They feel it’s ‘unmanly’ or ‘weak’.
- ‘Denial’: They pretend there’s nothing wrong because they feel men are not supposed to admit to emotional problems
- Some organisations which offer help can be seen as more suited to women than men. For instance, services for people who self-harm, have eating disorders, or who have been raped or sexually abused may appear more female orientated.
- Minority groups such as gay men, black men or men from minority ethnic groups may feel services have negative attitudes towards them. They may also feel that these services may not be aware of their specific needs.
It’s important to overcome these feelings and seek help for any difficulties early on. Waiting until a problem becomes a full-blown crisis usually makes it more difficult to deal with.
The first people we probably turn to for help are our family and friends. This is because we know they care about us. In some cases though your problem might be with a friend or a member of your family, so you will have to seek help from elsewhere. This might be from a health worker, community worker, teacher/youth worker. Another option is to seek help and support from a telephone helpline.
There aren't that many services specifically geared to deal with the needs of young men. However, there are a number of agencies working with young people across East Sussex, Brighton and Hove who will be aware of your needs. They are a good place to start when looking for help and support.
