[simon.]

Enjoy your holiday fella & thank you for posting on here, it might well help someone else reading & thinking that's him or her.

Wish you well & good on you for continuing with the sessions & talking about it to all your internet friends.

[Wills2]

It really does help to talk about things rather than suffer in silence and let people wonder what's up with you as they will always jump to the wrong conclusions.

I had a an issue with going to the states every year for a conference in LA I hated it, it stressed me out and made me ill, eventually I spoke to my boss explained the situation and he was golden couldn't have been more understanding.

I still go, but with him understanding my situation he just lets me do my own thing without being part of the main group so I can float in and out which has made me more effective out there so it's a win win.

And a great relief for me...it's never as bad as you think and you're never alone.

[F20MAW73]

Originally Posted by Broncho

I had a wobble about 2 years ago, I couldn’t think straight, I couldn’t rationalise things and was suffering with headaches and insomnia.

It was not long after we had our second child, work was tough and I’d just committed to a big house project plus the wife and kids had gone to Spain to visit her parents.

I went to the doctors with the intention of getting some sleeping pills or something, anything.

He started talking to me and diagnosed stress and anxiety on the spot and signed me off for a month, not something I wanted and my first response was “I can’t I’ve got too much on in work!”

Anyway I had to take the month and felt much better for it, I did have counselling which kind of helped but I realised quickly what the trigger had been, a combination of the above.

I still get bouts and probably always will, they can often be brought on by too much alcohol and tiredness, if I act responsibly (which is tough in itself )then I tend to be pretty much ok.

Talking to my friends and family revealed that virtually every single one of the fellas I know have suffered to one degree or another.

As a parent to 2 boys it’s something I’m trying to instil in them that if they don’t feel right then they must talk to somebody, anybody.

I think I was pretty lucky really compared to an awful lot of other people.

Hangovers are a big trigger for me also. I don't drink too much to be fair but when I do have one to many coupled with a late night it definitely brings on the anxiety the next day. Although on plus side a few drinks when I'm feeling a bit anxious socially can help.

Interesting that you have spoken to friends and family and quite a few have suffered also. I have a good group of mates but I have never spoken with them about this as I have felt to ebarrased if I'm honest.

[Broncho]

Originally Posted by F20MAW73

Hangovers are a big trigger for me also. I don't drink too much to be fair but when I do have one to many coupled with a late night it definitely brings on the anxiety the next day. Although on plus side a few drinks when I'm feeling a bit anxious socially can help.

Interesting that you have spoken to friends and family and quite a few have suffered also. I have a good group of mates but I have never spoken with them about this as I have felt to ebarrased if I'm honest.

Bring it up, in my experience it was a relief that somebody had, trust me it will open up a very valuable conversation.

You will be very surprised trust me.

[F20MAW73]

Worth a watch guys on bbc iplayer, regarding male suicide.

Horizon, 2018: 6. Stopping Male Suicide: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bgv82g via @bbciplayer