Glasgow comedian says male mental health is no laughing matter as he sets up group to counter NHS wait times
A Glasgow comedian has set up a men’s anxiety group to counter long NHS wait times for mental health services.
Gary Faulds, 30, started the group after he was told he’d face a lengthy wait before receiving support for his anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
He said: “I needed immediate help. I went to the doctor with suicidal tendencies and he said to me it’s 12 weeks before we can get you to see somebody.
“It made me think, there’s not much there to support guys during that wait. That’s why the group is absolutely phenomenal.
He added: “Obviously, you need the professional help – we’re not trying to bridge that gap. What we’re trying to do is give men somewhere that they can go in-between.”
In Scotland, the typical wait time for access to mental health services is around 18-weeks, during which time Scottish mental health charity SAMH say men are especially vulnerable.
According to their findings, on average 2 people in Scotland died by suicide every day last year, 75% of whom were men.
Mr Faulds said: “I think men struggle to speak about their mental health. If I went and phoned one of my mates who never had anxiety and said I was feeling really down, they’d probably tell me to man up or want to go down to the pub for a pint.”
Scottish Labour shadow secretary for health and sport, Monica Lennon showed her support for Gary’s activism this #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth.
Ms Lennon said: “In particular, I see how hard it is for men to speak about their feelings and their mental health. Too many of my constituents have been forced to borrow money or pay for private counselling that they really can’t afford.”
“Investments and services are not keeping up with the need and demand that exists.
Mr Faulds hopes his group will create an informal forum where “normal guys” like him can open up about their mental health experiences and support each other throughout their recovery.
The drop-in group meets in Springburn at 1.30pm every Saturday and now has over 30 members.
For more information, contact Gary Faulds on Twitter @GaryFaulds1.
