Ian was in a desperate place, but after talking to Samaritans he felt able to tell the people around him how he was feeling. He shares how he learned that there’s no shame in struggling and that seeking help will make you stronger.
Shame is the absolute enemy in the face of mental health struggle and difficulty. Thet’s why being open with my son about mental health is really important. We have a very open relationship and it’s important that my son knows that he can speak to me about his feelings.
Shame can be a huge barrier when it comes to mental health, particularly for men of my generation, as we just didn’t talk about these things. There was a day where everything got on top of me. I was feeling suicidal. At the time I couldn’t even talk to my partner, but I knew there was a Samaritans branch on my way home from work, so I went. I needed someone I didn’t know to just sit there and let me feel vulnerable and Samaritans were there.
The whole point of Samaritans is – there is no shame. They’re non-judgemental and offer a soothing ear where one can say whatever comes to mind.
Getting those feelings of a lack of self-worth and hopelessness out – just saying it out loud –empowered me to speak to those around me about how I was feeling. I no longer felt like I was sinking, I felt like I was swimming.
