048 In the Trenches: Loneliness, Social Disconnection and How it Affects Men's Mental Health with Andy Proctor
In this In the trenches episode my guest Andy Proctor freely shares his own journey with mental illness and we dive into a topic on men's mental health. Andy is a PhD student studying the importance of human connection. We chat about how loneliness and social disconnection really affect men and how many men don't feel they have close, intimate relationships to support them when they are struggling. They don't have someone they can share their challenges with because of how society tells men they have to be strong, suck it up and not be "weak" and vulnerable.
Andy also is the marketing director of a foundation called the "Cook Center for Human Connection."
The resources the Cook Center is providing to families is going to be invaluable. Their mission (copied directly from their website) is
"The mission of the Cook Center is to bring together the best organizations, programs and products to prevent suicide, provide mental health support, and enhance human connections vital for people to thrive.
The foundation’s current focus is on supporting children, families, and schools in eradicating suicide, as well as offering resources and support for those with mental health issues and their caregivers. This is done through a variety of grants to school, programs for parents, and global resources to bring greater awareness to the support needed for those affected by suicide."
One of the initiatives the Cook Center has started is an animated series called My Life is worth living to bring awareness to educate teens and parents about suicide risk factors, and have research based prevention strategies to have as tools. It is in story format, there are 4 characters and their families that will be featured with various risk factors for suicide. It is excellent and is free on YouTube and will continue to be released over the next few months.
Another free resource the Cook Center is partnering with and providing for parents is the website Parent Guidance. They have an entire library of free online courses, opportunities to talk with therapists and coaches to learn and get guidance. From their website:
"We offer education and therapeutic support to empower and give you hope as you support your child’s mental health."
As you can see these resources for families and children living with mental illness are invaluable and so timely. The fact that all of them are free is incredible. Here are the links to follow each of these accounts on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/parentguidance/
https://www.facebook.com/parentguidance.org/
https://www.instagram.com/mylifeisworthlivingtv/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/124167556326296