Encouraging young men to seek help with problems: the CALM approach

Pippa Sargent, National Co-ordinator of the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), discusses ways of getting through to young men.

Rising suicide rates amongst young men is not a new story. What is evident is that encouraging talking about problems before they become too overwhelming to deal with is a good strategy for suicide prevention, yet reaching out and asking for help is just what young men seem unwilling to do, with low uptake of a range of services. Getting young men to recognise problems, seek help and engage with services is a challenge and though developing services specific to young men is vital, it is clear that getting young men through the door is a big problem.

The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) embraces an innovative and positive approach to this. By utilising current trends in youth culture, and by engaging with role models, CALM raises awareness of depression and suicide amongst young men, and encourages this audience to 'open up'. The attached freephone helpline offers one source of support specific to young men as well as signposting to other services, locally and nationally, but the message is key: don't bottle it up - sort it out.

The campaign's success lies in the way the message is marketed to young men and the associations made with contemporary youth culture. Appealing to this audience involves creating a brand and an image that is credible and hard-hitting, moving away from traditional health messages and making what is on offer appear more akin to their own lifestyles. It provides a way for young men to feel ownership of something that's for them, without patronising their youth or feminising their issues.

Key elements of this approach include delivering relevant messages in the right language, using traditional advertising and 'ambient' media: urinal posters ask their captive audience if they are 'Pissed Off?' Radio ads resonate with isolated listeners, repeating 'Is there anyone out there?' and 'please respond', and beermats pose the question 'Had enough?' Visibility in the right places is essential - clubs and bars, football stadiums, record and clothes shops, and at gigs and festivals. Young men's negative perceptions of health services means that role-models from music and sport who endorse the message are one step ahead of health professionals in persuading young men to talk about problems. In this way, the campaign is associated with the things that young men aspire to, thus subtly reducing the stigma associated with talking about problems and asking for help.

Sixty-seven per cent of calls to the helpline are from men - reversing the usual pattern of calls to telephone helplines. More than half of callers are not accessing services, so CALM is getting to young men early. The approach seems to be working.

Considering the way in which we reach young men at the on-set of depression is of prime importance if we are to encourage them that the help offered is going to be of use. Changing the way we communicate health messages to young men will go some way towards breaking down the barriers to asking for help.

The CALM helpline on 0800 58 58 58 is open 5pm to 3am, 365 days a year.

Pippa Sargent, National CALM Co-orinator can be contacted on 0161 237 2720. More information about the CALM Campaign can be found at www.thecalmzone.net