For the second year running, MAN v FAT members in and around New York City will be hitting the streets to raise awareness for suicide prevention.
Sunset Park member Scott Henke will once again be coordinating the effort, which help to raise money for the American Society for Suicide Prevention.
We caught up with Scott ahead of the event in October to find out more.
You’ve previously told us about the work of the AFSP – what are the current challenges for men and their mental health in NYC and beyond?
There is still a significant disproportionate mortality and treatment gap between men and women. Nearly 80% of the suicides in the US involve men and 1 in 5 men reports dealing with symptoms of anxiety or depression each year, which is only 5% higher than men in the UK so it remains a problem on both sides of the Atlantic.
Loneliness and isolation are huge factors, one set of surveys show that 25% of American men said they do not have a close friend, and 40% of men said they would avoid talking with anyone about their mental health struggles.
Where we see positive change is that more men, especially younger men, are seeking help discreetly using digital/remote mental health and therapy platforms over traditional in-person providers.
Also, there is more focused messaging to health care providers on recognizing symptoms that are masked depressive symptoms in men. Such symptoms include chronic pain, fatigue, headaches as well as anger.
Next year will mark 20 years of AFSP, what is planned to mark that anniversary?
I’m not entirely sure about the anniversary, but 2027 will be a huge change for AFSP as they anticipate closing on the announced merger with The Jed Foundation (JED) before the current year’s end and next year they will be embarking on bringing two of the leading mental health nonprofits together.
The Jed Foundation was founded by the Satow family after the loss of their youngest son Jed by suicide while he was in college. As a nonprofit, JED developed a suicide prevention blueprint to help students navigate the emotional challenges of high school and college and the transition to adulthood.
The combined nonprofit, to be known as AFSP/JED, will have a mission to create an even stronger, more impactful organization with the mission of preventing suicide across the lifespan and bringing hope to those affected by suicide loss or risk.
How important are groups like MAN v FAT in keeping men together and supporting mental health?
MAN v FAT can provide men with a lot of tools to support their mental health. It provides a framework for exercise and healthy diet, and improving physical health leads to increases in mental health and wellbeing.
MAN v FAT provides men with a new community to belong to, and having social connections is a protective factor against suicide prevention. It is an added benefit that MAN v FAT gives men a community of those who are on similar health journeys and can relate to their struggles around physical health and the mental health impacts of being overweight/obese.
Last year, a number of you from Sunset Park got involved in the walk, how can others who are in NYC and nearby join you this time around?
Anyone in NYC can join us at the Brooklyn/Queens Out of the Darkness on October 4th. We’re gathering at the War Memorial area of Cadman Plaza Park in Brooklyn starting at 10AM. Anyone in a MAN v FAT club in NYC can sign up to register free via our team link: https://afspwalks.donordrive.com/teams/398155.
For those in MAN v FAT clubs outside NYC who are interested in supporting AFSP’s mission, they can find their closest Out of the Darkness Community Walk via this link: https://afspwalks.donordrive.com/pages/2497#walk-map .
There are Out of the Darkness Community Walks in every state MAN v FAT operates in here in the US.
