TheLADbible Group has launched “UOKM8?” a three-month campaign to raise awareness of male mental health issues in collaboration with CALM, Samaritans, Movember and the Mental Health Foundation.
'UOKM8?' aims to develop the broadest understanding of mental health and suicide risk in the UK by gathering quantitative and behavioural data from the LadBible audience through the use of questionnaires that sit alongside stories on mental health issues.
Ian Moore, from TheLADbible Group said “We know that our audience are hugely affected by these issues and that they need to feel that opening up is the brave thing to do. Around half of all British men between 18-24 follow TheLADbible and I believe that by opening up our platform so our audience can talk about these issues, we can persuade young men to give themselves permission to talk about the feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression that they currently keep secret."
TheLADbible campaign launched with Everyday Heroes, a series of documentaries from young British filmmaker Mollie Mills, whose previous projects include Boys Don’t Cry. In the launch film, Olympic gymnast Louis Smith talks about his own experiences of depression.
“I was snatched away from my old life so quick, I got that down I could see why people would end up committing suicide…I think men try to be proud. Almost to the point that they try to be in denial. And if anything goes wrong, it just boils over,” says Smith.
Other video content created for the campaign includes a film about Andy’s Man Club, the Halifax-based mens’ group set up by campaigner Luke Ambler. The film series is supported by an ongoing series of editorial pieces to drive conversation about these issues and a dedicated ‘UOKM8?' hub integrated into theladbible.com site.
Jane Powell, CEO CALM said:
“More than three times more men take their own lives than women in the UK, and we don’t know why. CALM is proud to be working with The LADbible and supporting “UOKM8?” to explore masculinity and dig down into why the single biggest cause of death for men aged under 45 is suicide. The LADbible are brilliantly placed to help us listen to and learn from a huge number of guys and help build a better understanding of this silent killer.”
Check out the latest 'UOKM8?' stories over at The Lad Bible.
