We’ve just sat down and gone through our numbers for the first half of the year — and while every statistic represents real people taking a real step, one figure stood out to us more than the rest.
The headline number
Between January and June, 200 new people reached out to our service. They picked up the phone, filled in a form, or walked through our door – each one making a decision that isn’t always easy to make.
Here’s the breakdown by gender:
- Female: 69%
- Male: 30%
- Prefer not to say: 1%
What this tells us
On the surface, these are just numbers. But look a little closer, and they tell a familiar story — one we see reflected across the mental health sector as a whole. Women are still more likely than men to reach out for support, and that gap hasn’t closed as much as we’d like.
It’s not because men need support less. It’s because so many are still taught, quietly and from an early age, to carry things alone — to be the one who copes, who doesn’t ask, who says “I’m fine” even when they’re not.
We were struck recently by comments from Jude Bellingham, who spoke openly about having felt vulnerable and having doubted himself. He talked about trying to keep up a “macho athlete” image of not needing anyone, before realising that everyone needs someone to talk to sometimes. If one of the best footballers in the world can say that out loud, it’s worth asking how many other men are carrying the same thing in silence.
Where we go from here
We’d love to see that 30% grow over the second half of the year. Not because we want more people to struggle — but because we know there are men out there who are struggling right now and haven’t yet taken that first step.
If that’s you, or someone you know, here’s what those 200 people who reached out in the first half of the year already found out: asking for help is often the hardest part, and it’s almost always worth it.
We’re halfway through the year. Here’s to making the second half count — for anyone who’s still deciding whether to reach out.
If you or someone you know needs support, get in touch with us today.