As we approach Men’s Health Month, it is an opportune moment to talk about the importance of positive conversations around mental health and to remind ourselves that awareness isn’t enough, we also need action.
Charities and campaigns have long been encouraging people to talk about their mental health and while we know that the need for improved access to services and treatment is paramount, we can’t lose sight of the impact that we can have right now.
Talking alone won’t solve the mental health crisis, but it can make a life-or-death difference particularly in the context of the alarming rates of male suicide and drugs related deaths. Currently, suicide is increasing amongst younger men, and, according to the Movember campaign, 60 men are lost to suicide every hour around the world. Closer to home, in England and Wales, We’ve recently seen devastating figures from the ONS showing a continued increase in the number of drug related deaths highlighting the urgent need for prevention funding and accessible treatment.
In my role as Reducing Harm Manager, I work with services to look at how we can best support people coming into our treatment programmes. I develop our approach to managing risk and supporting people to live more healthier, safer lives.
At Phoenix, we see how people with drug and alcohol problems are particularly stigmatised. There is a culture of blame with many not understanding the huge challenges this community faces – from trauma to co-morbid mental health and social problems. This is why honest conversations are so vital – because they help men find the right support and access life-saving treatment pathways.
When stigma is rife, and when men still feel burdened by old-fashioned expectations of stoicism, we can’t stop at asking if they’re OK — we have to show them it’s safe to say when they’re not.
That’s exactly what our therapeutic communities do: they replace silence with connection and isolation with support.
We need more men to feel confident in being able to talk about any physical or mental health concerns they have, so that they feel better equipped to find and access the help they need. That’s exactly what our therapeutic communities do: they replace silence with connection and isolation with support
Phoenix’s residential services are based on the Thereputic Community model where, men live, work, and recover together. Daily routines, shared responsibilities, and structured group sessions create a safe environment where men can practice openness, accountability, and connection — the very skills that Movember encourages in the wider world. Here, men learn that talking isn’t weakness, it’s strength. They gain tools to manage their mental health and substance use, rebuild trust, and rediscover purpose.
Therapeutic communities transform conversation into connection, and connection into change. Men support each other, challenge each other, and celebrate each other’s progress. They build emotional awareness, communication skills, and empathy. Tools that help them manage their mental health long after treatment. Over time, the community itself becomes a source of healing: helping men to break cycles of addiction, isolation, and harm
Due to pervasive public and health sector stigma, we need to work hard to earn the trust of people who have experienced drug and alcohol problems. They may have been let down in the past, they may have been turned away from services because they are told they don’t meet the criteria.
When we reach men early and connect them to the right-support, we don’t just treat addiction — we prevent crisis, relapse, and loss.
This Movember, I’ll be growing a moustache. It might look ridiculous, but it’s more than a bit of fun, it’s a conversation starter. Every conversation we have, every question we ask, is an opportunity to break down barriers, reduce shame, and encourage men to reach for the help they deserve.
Because when men open up, they recover. And when they recover, they rebuild their lives, their families, their communities and their futures.
At Phoenix Futures, we’ll be working together with staff and the people that we support across November to share our own experiences – both personal and professional – and remind each other and the people that we support why it’s good to talk.
