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(Jonny Benjamin:) International Men's Day is really important because I know from my
own experience that men tend to bottle up a lot of things
They're not very good at sharing their thoughts and feelings and something like this, International
Men's Day, gives men an opportunity to come together and do the things they wouldn't normally
do - It's a way to get men together to talk about
problems that they have - depression, physical problems, and just generally a feeling of
wellbeing - International Men's Day is important because
men are traditionally backward about coming forward about their health, so I think Men's
Day is important to raise awareness and to get people talking
- Basically, Men's Day today for me is just to get to know people better, to know what
it's all about better, and everything else - Just to let you know you're not on your
own and that people are all going through the same things and you learn from each other
- Yeah. Yeah, you learn from each other and from your own mistakes and just get on with
your life - life goes on, doesn't it? - Men are very much like ostriches, they've
got their heads stuck in the sand and it's only at a later date when they're in real
pain that they present You're looking after your health by attending
here but speak to another man, when you leave here, whether you're a worker or whether you're
a user of the venue, you need to speak to another man
- The first week in hospital, I was basically on suicide watch
All my possessions were taken away from me and I was watched 24/7 by a nurse who sat
on a chair outside my room So I picked up my pen, and I placed it on
my notebook, and I began writing I just wrote anything and everything that
came into my head A lot of it made no sense but from some of
it I created a rhyme or I started a rhythm And I wrote poem after poem in hospital - it
was really the only way that I could express myself
I tell everyone that I speak to that's suffering from mental illness to write - anyone can
write, not all of us can draw or paint or sing or dance - I can't do any of the above
- but I can write, anyone can And it really is a great way to express your
thoughts and feelings I find talking really hard - even today, I
still struggle with it, but nothing compares to writing
And if something comes to it, such as poetry, or a song, or prose, then that's great
Author Anais Nin once said: "The role of writing is not to say what we can say, but what we
are unable to say." I know that's very true of my poetry
I find strength in being with others who have mental health issues and I'm going to end
on a poem which talks about that kind of unity and togetherness, particularly amongst men
And that's why Creative Support is so important, because it brings people together
Ross sits in the art classroom, painting by numbers
Jason draws a landscape, with rolling clouds of thunder
Tommy moulds clay for his house between his thumbs
Jack varnishes a box to give to his son Me, I sit with pen and paper, ready to write
But all I have are these words to speak of a plight
The plight of these five men, each torn apart By the brutality of a journey disclosed in
their art (Singing:) I got carried, got carried away
and I'm sorry There's no training to make us this way
I've ever been given, because I think in the past I've tried to sort of work to other people's
expectations and it can end up making you very unhappy whereas if you just try and be
yourself, that's fine - Don't worry about what other people are
doing, just do it for yourself, do things for you and not other people
- The best advice that I was given actually was erm, when I was really ill and someone
sent me a text saying, "Fall down seven times - stand up eight"
And it gave me so much courage because it just goes to show that no matter what happens,
you don't have to be defeated, you can always rise up again