'Men's mental health club saved my life'

The leader of a men's mental health support group has said the weekly sessions "probably saved" his life by offering a safe space to talk.

It took Liam Powell three attempts to walk through the doors of Andy's Man Club. Now, three years later, he is leading the group in Knowle West in Bristol.

The men's suicide prevention charity offers free support groups around the country in a bid to end the stigma around men openly talking about mental health struggles, including depression and anxiety.

"I think the charity probably saved my life. It gave me somewhere that I could go every week to openly discuss my emotions, my problems," Powell said.

"It has given me confidence, and a voice for when I'm struggling," he added.

Powell said he had experienced "really bad bouts of mental health" for much of his life after his family relocated from Liverpool during his childhood.

He said he struggled to adapt to living in a small village near Knowle and was bullied for his Scouse accent.

He sought mental health support through the NHS and private care to find an outlet where he could talk about his problems and try to pinpoint where they began.

Last year, Powell was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which he said helped to answer "a lot" of questions he once had about his struggles.

Powell said his local Andy's Man Club network helped him to open up.

"I'm not shy about talking about things anymore, whereas 10 years ago I would've run and hidden if someone asked me how I felt," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

Powell acknowledged that the group "doesn't fix all the problems", but instead provides men with a safe space to open up.

"What you realise when [you're] sat in that room with like-minded men is that you're not alone.

"There's no pressure to talk, there's no pressure on anything. It's just to come and listen and if you feel comfortable [to speak as well]," he added.

A spokesperson at Changes Bristol, a charity offering mental health support, said groups like the one Powell visits are "an important place for people to cope with negative feelings".

They added: "Many people find it difficult to talk about their mental health with their friends, families or co-workers and our groups offer non-judgemental safe spaces to both give and receive support."

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