Mental Health Monday

Mick is talking about the results of a new survey which shine a light on our relationship with friendships.

How many friends do you have? Data suggests while we have plenty of mates in younger years, those numbers soon start to fade away.

So why do we struggle to make friends in later life? It was easy when we were children, but what is holding us back now?

Author and Comedian Max Dickins wrote "Billy No Mates: How I realised men have a friendship problem" and joins Mick to talk about his story and how he arrested the decline in friendships he noticed ahead of an upcoming wedding.

Find out how to make friends in this illuminating and eye-opening episode of the podcast

Find out more about the NOMO survey data

Follow Mick Coyle on Twitter/X, on Linkedin and Instagram, and get video preview of each week's guest on the MHM Facebook Group

Artwork credit PIXABAY

Journalist Mick Coyle is joined by Trevor Bygate, a former member of the armed forces turn mental health campaigner.

Trevor lost his daughter Chloe to suicide in 2014, and now uses his experience to help and support others.

He was also diagnosed with PTSD before leaving the army.

He works with organisations like the Royal British Legion, Papyrus, and Cruse Bereavement Care, and has undertaken some incredible challenges to raise money for them - keeping Chloe's name at the heart of all he does.

You can find Trevor on Linkedin and Twitter.

Follow host Mick Coyle on Twitter, Linkedin, and Instagram and get video previews of each week's guests in the MHM Facebook Group

TOPICS: #suicide #Suicidebereavement #PTSD #armedforces #papyrus

Mick is joined by ex-professionall footballer turned mental health campaigner Clarke Carlisle.

Clarke is back on the show to discuss his new role of COO of It's Mental, and how changing the conversation about mental health - with action to support it - is needed now more than ever.

It follows the Darzi report into the state of the NHS, and the news of surging numbers of children and young people needing support.

Find out more about It's Mental Wellbeing Collective

Note: This episode features some sound issues for reasons explained at the beginning of the podcast.

Follow Mick Coyle on Twitter/X, Linkedin and Instagram and get video previews of guests in the MHM Facebook Group

Mick Coyle takes a look at the latest suicide figures for England and Wales with Paul Vittles ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day 2024.

Released in 2024, figures show 6069 deaths were recorded in 2023, the highest rate since 1999.

Paul has a long track record of working in the #zerosuicide community, and an incredible insight into how we currently deal with suicide in the UK, and what could be improved if we wanted to genuinely improve it.

This summer he was a key part of the #JointheDots tour and you can read about his work in the Zero Suicide Transformation Programme.

He's also active on Linkedin.

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Get video previews of each guest on the MHM facebook group

Mick Coyle is joined by Mark Boyns from Opening Up Cricket following the tragic news of the death of England legend Graham Thorpe.

Mick and Mark discuss how the family bravely shared the reason for his passing, and how that can be used as a way of opening up a conversation about mental health within the cricketing world and beyond.

Podcast art © Alamy

Opening Up was set up following the death of a club-mate of Mark's and he now travels the country teaching skills in mental health conversations - both from a cricketing perspective and in wider life.

Find out more about Opening Up Cricket and listen to Ep 27 of the podcast to hear more about the reasons it was founded.

Follow Mick Coyle on X, Linkedin, and Instagram and get video previews of each guest on the MHM Facebook Group

Sarah Gustafson is Mick Coyle's guest on Episode 332 of Mental Health Monday.

Sarah is founder of A.ur.tistic and a new project called Dopamine Rooms that she set up following her own experience of poor mental health, as well as late diagnosis on autism and ADHD.

Sarah uses her love of art and teaching to help people explore their own thoughts and feelings, using her journey as inspiration to help and support others.

There's a lot in the conversation - and Sarah sets out how she inspired to be so active in the mental health and neurodiversity space.

There are mental health services signposted at the end of the episode.

Follow Mick Coyle on Twitter/X, Linkedin and Instagram - and get video previews of each week's guests on the MHM Facebook Group.

Mick Coyle is joined by author Lisa Brett - who's written a book called "Finding Happiness When It Hurts"

Lisa uses her own journey, and the stories of others, to give advice on how to reflect on more difficult times, find positivity in the smallest of places and give yourself a chance to rebuild after grief, loss or trauma.

Her book is available now

Host Mick Coyle is on Twitter/X, Linkedin and Instagram, and you can get video previews of each week's guests on the MHM Facebook page

Signposting to mental health is available at the end of each podcast.

It might be July - but Movember's fast approaching.

The international campaign focussed on men's mental and physical health is nearly upon us once again - and this year there's a big focus on inequality.

2/5 men will die prematurely - but where they live is a key factor to how long they live.

Mick has pulled together the main findings of the new Movember report in this article

Joining us on the podcast is TV presenter Matt Johnson and Rugby star Ugo Monye - who discuss their own mental health journeys and the challenges they've faced.

Photo © Alamy

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Get video previews of each week's guests on the MHM Facebook Page

Signposting services are provided at the end of each episode.

Mick Coyle is talking self esteem as a new BACP survey finds half of women are affected by self esteem issues - with body image the biggest factor, followed by social comparisons, careers, and romantic relationships.

Joining him on this week's episode is Henna Mistry - who has tackled her own issues with self esteem, and found a way through using a BACP therapist and helping create a new network of community connections through York Girlies

Henna's a fantastic guest for anyone who wants to know how self esteem impacts your life, what low self esteem feels like, and how to navigate a way through it.

Find out more about the BACP's Burst The Self Doubt project - and how you can make connections with a psychotherapist if you think that's right for you.

Follow Mick Coyle on Twitter / X, Instagram, Linkedin and get video previews of each week's guests on the MHM Facebook Group

Mick Coyle is joined by Owen Wood from Race Across the World

Owen - alongside his race partner Alfie - starred in the latest BBC series travelling through the Far East on a tight budget and even tighter timescale.

Now he's back in the UK he's teaming up with The Mix - a charity that supports young people through all aspects of life - to further open up the conversation about mental health.

On the TV show, Owen shared his own experience of living with anxiety, and how that shaped his junior years.

He now wants to use that experience to help others. Check out more from The Mix on their website.

Follow Mick Coyle on Instagram, X, and now LinkedIn - and get video previews of each week's guests on the MHM Facebook Group