In recent years, mental health has become a focus point in both the Castle Country Area and the United States as a whole. One group it feels has been left behind in these discussions as men continue to struggle silently with their mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control,” The suicide rate among males in 2022 was approximately four times higher than the rate among females. Males make up 50% of the population but nearly 80% of suicides.”

Several organizations in the Castle Country Area work to break the stigma surrounding men’s mental health, including the newest addition, the Men’s Mental Health Support Group, hosted by Zac Robinson and Amy Stevens-Jones. Robinson and Jones joined Castle Country Radio to discuss the group and what attendees can expect.

“ I came to a point in my life where I felt like everything was lined up for me to be in a really good place as far as happiness. I retired from my job. Financially, I was in a good place,” explained Robinson,” My two children were getting to be adults and they both were healthy, and not very many issues with that. So, it seemed like I had come to a lull in my life where I was like, I’m finally not stressed in life and realized that I was struggling with unhappiness.”

To remedy this, he turned to research where he found mainly women helping other women, but nothing similar happened among men. “ Through my own counseling, the best counselors I had were women. I’d never even seen a male counselor. And I ended up staying with a good friend of mine, and we ended up conversing a lot and we both were in a tough position. And through talking about the trials of our lives, we were able to help each other. And I just realized that was a good possibility to be able to just get guys to talk, get guys to lean on each other.”

Jones then spoke on why she wanted to get involved in this project,” I grew up watching my younger brother struggle with his mental health from elementary all the way up until he ended his life on June 1 in 2023. That just kind of sparked that need that men do need to talk. He was very vocal, very open to everybody about how he was struggling throughout his life and I don’t think it was reciprocated. I don’t feel like he felt like other people were struggling the way he was struggling and so he felt very alone.”

Jones also addressed some of the concerns men in the community might feel about attending the support group,” It is a little bit stressful doing it in a small community because I know there is a lot of negativity around here and not knowing people’s relationships and if they walk in and see someone they don’t like and if they walk in and be like I’m not doing this but that’s why we’re going to be very it’s going to be very confidential. We’ll fill out the waivers. We will make sure that it’s a safe space for people to share.”

The group meetings are scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month starting on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Castleview Hospital Classroom.

As for what topics will be covered by the group, Robinson explained,” on our flyer, we mentioned depression, grief, loss, anxiety, which could come from a lot of things, job loss, addiction, divorce, parenting, anger management. And I think all that brought me to when I was unhappy, I realized those were the things. It wasn’t just one thing.”

Robinson also hopes to see a wide spectrum of men in these meetings, especially when it comes to age groups,” I’m hoping that there will be a wide spectrum of ages that they will be able to lean on each other. And somebody might come and be like, I’m stressed out about my finances. I don’t know how to manage this. It’s causing a lot of problems in my life. It’s not just about grief and loss. It’s going to be about the struggles of life as a man and being able to talk about it. Because there definitely will be people to help. I’ve reached out to those types of people that I know. But at any point in time, somebody can be going through a hard place in their life. And I want this group to eventually be people that they can reach out to and make a connection with.”

Jones then explained why this group was important to her,” like Zach said, you don’t see men talking about their emotions. I just feel like it’s something that needs to be talked about. And I think we are hitting several different social and educational levels and people of all varieties.”

Robinson added,” I grew up around men. I worked in fields where there were men. But I also grew up around my dad and my grandpa. And she’s right. Nobody talked about their struggles. I was at a place where I was desperate to get help to be happy. Because I was like, I’m just not going to get there. And so I guess I just really want some men to show up. I want that to be known, that people can come there without shame.”

Though the group is confidential, it is still open to every man over 18. All you have to do is show up and Jones and Robinson will get you taken care of,” We wanted it to stay open because each month can hit a different type of group or different group. But as far as it will be the same rules, we’ll start with the same disclaimer in every single group, just to make sure everyone knows it is confidential. But we don’t want it to be a closed one. We want it to be very open.”

In closing, the duo shared,” Don’t be too proud to show up. You might make a friend. Let’s honestly take a note out of the female’s book because they’re leaning on each other and helping each other through these hard times a lot more than guys are. And we could do the same thing for each other.”

The Men’s Mental Health Support Group will be held the second Wednesday of each month starting on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Castleview Hospital Classroom located at 300 North Hospital Drive in Price.

Part 1

Part 2