This is a story about making new friends…
I don’t like bullying. My new friend Klaus Bravenboer doens’t like rugby. Somehow we get along and became friends, fast. We are just about to go surfing. Yesterday I was in hospital feeling sorry for myself. That’s the difference that friends make.
We are really enjoying a spur of the moment visit to Koa Tree Camp in North Devon/Cornwall, mapping the territory as a high-performance team. None of this was preplanned. We are just going with the flow, dude.
I’ve always been a bit of a man on a mission, and it’s nice to have a healthy way to express my masculinity. I’ve been fetching wood, making fire, tending to the animals, walking round the farmland. I feel quite proud of myself, even though that’s a little laughable to all you happy well adjusted people who are loving your lives.
Klaus and I have been capturing videos, taking photos and doing interviews with the lovely founders of Koa Tree Camp: Andy, Gemma, Sam & baby Hamish and Poppy the dog. You’ll be seeing more of this on social media over the coming week or so, during the build up to the inaugural Man on a Mission weekend.
78% of suicides are young men. That’s more than 3 times that of women. I’d like to understand why that is, and understand myself more. I just want to be happy and well adjusted, like you. I’m pretty happy right now, and I’d like to hang onto a little piece of that.
There will be more Frankie the cat pictures soon. Meanwhile. here is Klaus with a black and white pig (October 24, 2015)
Tags: #friends #manonamission #bullying #suicide #surfing #adventure #leadership
Comments
3 responses to “Man On A Mission”
I find it really concerning how high the male suicide rate is. On most issues, the focus is on how women lag behind men, but the opposite seems to be the case when it comes to suicide. One reason given is that women talk to each other and are more likely to go to the doctor or tell someone close to them how they feel. In my experience of outpatient mental healthcare, there have been about five times as many women as men there. For men depression can manifest differently, with more anger than women. Men may be more likely to act on impulses than women, perhaps because of hormonal differences.
I’ve got to low points where I’ve felt there is nothing to live for and never will be, however anxiety means I’m scared of so many things that I don’t take risks or put myself in dangerous situations, so I end up unable to do anything. I can imagine that I’d be more danger to myself if I wasn’t terrified of dangerous situations.
Whatever the cause of the male suicide rate, it needs more focus. Suicidal feelings are temporary but depression distorts memories of better times and removes all hopes of things ever getting better so it feels like you’ll always feel that low.
That sounds like a really interesting place you’re at. I find going different places and spending time outdoors really helps me so I hope it helps you.
Thanks for taking the time to share such a detailed comment that has given me some real insight into gender differences that I had never considered.
I totally agree that many men are trapped inside their own heads, due to communication about feelings being beaten out of them by a macho society.
Just an update. I have started blogging about how the weekend went over at: https://cavemanclub.withknown.com/2015/how-it-all-began
I look forward to reading more about what you did on this weekend away.
Are you familiar with the Campaign Against Living Miserably? It’s a charity specifically aimed at reducing suicide among men, they’ve got adverts around on bus stops and things. They also have a website and helpline. I just got an email from them as I donated when someone I know ran a marathon to fundraise for them and I wondered if you’d seen their website.