For Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19 May), UK electricians have shared their own mental health experiences to encourage other people in the industry to speak about their feelings.
IronmongeryDirect’s latest Mental Health in the Trades report revealed that more than four in five (82%) tradespeople experience some form of mental health problem, such as anxiety or depression, due to work.
Ahead of the company’s Match for the Mind tournament – a charity football event being held at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium on 25 May to raise money for Mind – IronmongeryDirect asked workers to share their own mental health stories to inspire others, and to reassure people that they are not alone in their feelings.
Below are a selection of their comments:
Lewis Hill: “A lot of my team have experienced mental health problems, and the site can be a very a difficult place to be if you’re struggling, especially if you’re working alone. The accumulation of the stresses of work and the stresses of home life can be too much for some people, and it should be okay to open up and talk about it. There should always be support there for anyone who is struggling. I can’t wait for Match for the Mind to help spread this message.”
Jay Jones: “Making friends at work is a great way to keep your mental health up. Everyone at your workplace shares something you do, their day to day and what they enjoy doing. I garden voluntarily in my area and for family and friends in order to get outside more and see something get done from scratch to end. This is rewarding.”
Jack O’Rourke: “My uncle passed away last year after dying by suicide after his silent struggles with his mental health. This last year, I have been trying to raise awareness and promote mental health and it’s something which is really important to me.”
Joseph Devey: “I suffered with depression in my teens and early twenties. It took me a long time to figure out what was actually happening to me, but I was very fortunate that I had friends and family members I could speak to who recognised the signs. I was able to click with my therapist and was able to change my focus and make meaningful positive steps in my life. Charities like Mind are incredibly important in our society now, and I always talk to people to recommend that they seek help and try therapy. I genuinely don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t receive the help I got.”
Thomas Forster: “When I first started out as a labourer, I didn’t have many friends and went through a severe battle with depression as I fell out with my best friend. However, on site changed my perspective as everyone was friendly and happy to talk. Not necessarily open, but very friendly and willing to have a casual chat. Some of the lads I got closer to I can now call my friends, so I’m glad I became a part of this industry. I want to help show that it shouldn’t be as stigmatised as it is.”
Ellis Osborn, Ecommerce Manager at IronmongeryDirect, comments, “From both our research and from speaking to tradespeople across the UK, it’s clear how prevalent mental health problems continue to be within the industry. We thank the players from our upcoming Match for the Mind charity tournament for sharing their own stories, to encourage others to seek the support they need.”
To read the full Mental Health in the Trades 2024 report, visit: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/research/mental-health-in-the-trades
To find out more about the Match for the Mind, visit: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/blog/enter-now-for-your-chance-to-play-football-at-chelsea
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