Movember: 'I cry at the silliest things'

Jon Staple said it is "important" to talk and share about mental health

As Movember is under way, two men who work for the NHS said opening up about their mental health has changed their lives.

Jon Staple and Dairin Keating work for the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and have struggled with their mental health.

The charity Movember encourages men to grow their beards throughout November to raise money for men’s health projects and the men took it as an opportunity to open up about their experiences.

Mr Staple said: "Everyone’s mental health is different, and it’s so important to talk and share – if this helps just one person, then I’ll be happy."

Mr Keating has set up a support group for men at the trust

“Over the last year, I’ve gone from quite low to really quite high,” he added.

He said after the death of his mother-in-law, followed by the death of his friend, he felt life was not going the way he wanted it to.

He slowly found joy again in doing DIY and gardening.

“You’ve got to help yourself, and that opens up others to help you too," Mr Staple said.

Mr Keating recently set up a Men's Network to support people like Mr Staple at the trust.

He said he experienced a lot of bullying growing up, after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphomia.

“When I went back to school, I was a lot shorter than most of the boys in my year, as such I was unfortunately bullied a lot," he explained.

“There were a few times boys from the older year groups would stick up for me, because they understood what I had gone through.

"I think that’s affected me in some ways – I feel a need to protect the vulnerable in my life now."

As part of the Men's Network, they introduced a tool shed where members can share and borrow spare tools and speak to each other about their shared interest of DIY.

"I’m very in touch with my emotions and I’m not afraid to let that show – I’ll cry at the silliest of things," he said.