Until recently if a friend asked me where to go for advice when feeling down, I’d have tried to dig out what was wrong and do my best to help. That’s what friends are for right? What if you are feeling isolated and don’t know where to turn? Thanks to Men Unite on Facebook there are over ten thousand inspiring individuals that are happy to share words of advice.
As a 31 year old male I like to think I’ve lived a lot and been through my fair share of ups and downs. I’m fortunate to have family and friends nearby to turn to. I also understand how difficult it is to approach them to discuss certain situations that I may find myself in.
Men Unite offers an established, reliable and devoted community built to help our fellow men. In the Facebook group, pride is put to one side and a sense of togetherness flows beautifully.
Where Men Unite all started?
Founder Craig Spillane set up the online community after helping friends through difficult times. During the early days the group had amassed thousands of users and was soon contributing towards suicide prevention and male mental health awareness.
As men we often find it difficult to open up about our problems. Regardless of how close you are to your partner, family or friends, it can be a real struggle. Bottling everything up is rarely the solution and Craig set up the group to help combat this.
The online community is a safe haven for those with money problems, battling addiction, anxiety, depression and any other trigger of experiencing difficulties.
How can they help?
The group’s theme is sharing your struggles to receive advice from others who have been there. However there is much more to the community than chit chat about your current situations.
Men Unite have their own website that is updated regularly with articles covering various topics. These include tips on the following:
- Debt and money management
- Emergency food sources
- Information on mental health in children and more
Many members of the Men Unite Facebook group also arrange their own meet ups with others local to them. This encourages those within the group to socialise and interact with people they may feel more at ease with.
How can I support Men Unite?
Craig and other members actively fund raise to support the organisation. They currently have a JustGiving Crowdfunding page open and have hit more than 60% of their £3,500 goal.
The money from this will help the non-profit organisation with the running and marketing marketing and raising awareness of the issues they’re working to reduce.
Do you need support?
If you could do with some sturdy moral support from fellow men, join the group by clicking here. For more serious issues and anything emergency related, the Shocked Sockets team recommend you contact a close friend, family member or neighbour as well as the emergency services.