MALE CREATIVES TALKING ABOUT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH
It’s on the rarest of occasions that you’ll hear a man open up about how he’s feeling – fearful of hearing words like, “man-up” or “you’ll be alright, did you see the football last night?”
These unwritten rules of masculinity and how to behave as a ‘bloke’ have plagued men since well, the beginning of men. Actually, quite a few men have written the rules. We might not have read them, but they’ve been reinforced since 3000BC. This expectation of what it means to be a man has led to high suicide rates, an abundance of silent suffering and in more recent times an increasing focus on rewriting what masculinity should be (if we need it at all).
The effect isn’t just a burden on men. It’s a burden on our entire society. In the creative industry, it’s felt far and wide. It contributes to toxic cultures, misogyny, gender inequality and a large populous of men who feel unable or unwilling to speak up – bottling up feelings and restricting themselves from doing what is right because of how they think their ‘mates’ will react.
This exclusive mini-series of the Never Not Creative podcast brings male creatives from across the globe to discuss their lived experiences, what it’s like to open-up, and how they’ve developed their own coping mechanisms to take control of their mental health.
EPISODE 1: PETE BRENNEN
HEALING THE PAST
Founder, Heaps Normal And Electric & Analog.
We kick-off our first episode with Pete Brennan. Co-founder of Heaps Normal, Electric & Analog and lucky for us, sharer of stories and experiences about his own journey with mental health.
Pete shared with us private and personal anecdotes of his childhood in South Africa and how his personal experiences growing up contributed to anxiety in later life. Luckily he sought help and advice from friends, family (reconnecting with his brother) and professionals to turn around his fortunes in recent years.
Taking charge of his mental health has led to a growing family, two growing businesses and a happiness and contentment that had eluded him before. Many thanks to Pete for being so open and transparent and showing what can be achieved by ditching the rules of masculinity.
Find out more about Pete, Heaps Normal and Electric and Analog below.
EPISODE 2: ZAC SEIDLER
The Perception Gap
Psychologist, Movember
Episode 2 sees psychologist, Zac Seidler join us from Movember in Melbourne. Zac has dedicated his academic and professional career towards further understanding men’s mental health and masculinity. His ultimate goal is to help reduce the staggering rate of male suicide worldwide. Zac was recently awarded the Bupa Emerging Health Award for 2021 in his quest for pursuing a greater understanding of men’s mental health. Football’s not his strong point – but we thought we’d have him on anyway!
Zac goes into detail about the challenges of masculinity in the modern age and the difficulties that men face in speaking up. We discuss everything from fear to shame, but perhaps most interestingly, “the perception gap” and that what men think will happen when they speak up, probably won’t. In fact, by opening up they set the example and give permission for others to do the same.
EPISODE 3: CRAIG ELIMELIAH
IT’S TIME TO TALK
Executive Creative Director, VMLY&R New York
Craig Elimeliah has done it all. Award winner across the globe, Lions, CLIOs, Effies, Webbys he has shelves of them. Renowned for his leadership in the digital and creativity space, Craig’s track record speaks for itself. But as we know, in our industry, what can be seen on the outside, isn’t always reflected on the inside.
On World Mental Health day Craig decided to open up and let us see what had been happening on the inside. A simple post on Linkedin was enough to share vulnerability and reality of not all is what it seems.
“My entire life I have been dealing with ADHD, anxiety, low self-esteem, often times feeling shame, self-doubt and depression.
For many years I was heavily medicated and struggled to figure out my place in the world.
It took me a long time to find ways of balancing and supporting my mental health. Ways that are healthy and safe for me and those around me.
At times I still find it to be debilitating but over the years I have learned to turn my pain into a super power and something I am able to tap into as a source of positivity, creativity and inspiration.”
Craig and Andy unpack what it’s like to share, as well as the hope for a new generation of industry talent that will no longer put up with the challenges of burnout and mistrust that have plagued pockets (and more) of the creative industry for decades. The future is encouraging and the emerging talent and more progressive leaders can help lead the way.
EPISODE 4: STEFAN KUNZ
being your best
Lettering Artist And Teacher, Switzerland
As if life isn’t hard enough, try satisfying 500,000 Instagram followers and dealing with the highs and lows of the phenomenon of social media. In a little over 5 years, Stefan Kunz has built a global following due to his drive, relentless quest to be his best and, of course, for his exceptional talent. It all comes from his mission to inspire and genuinely help budding creatives to be the best they can be.
While his positivity is infectious, Stefan also has a healthy dose of realism. In this 4th episode of the mini-series, Stefan shares the reality of what might be his best on any given day. Sometimes it’s literally making it out of bed. Others, it’s pushing for that extra step in pushing an idea further (whether it works or not).
In what can often be a carefully crafted veneer by many creatives and influencers through social media, Stefan shares some of the inner struggles as well as the benefits of sharing and talking to help not just himself, but others as well.
EPISODE 5: simon lee
boys do cry
Executive Creative Director, The Hallway
The Cure released a song in 1979, titled, “Boys Don’t Cry.” It was another reference to the masculinity that so many boys and men had grown up with at the time. It started to explore the expected disguise that men should wear instead of sharing their true emotions.
Fast forward 42 years and Simon Lee and a collaborative team from across The Hallway, Gotcha4Life, The University of Melbourne, MC Dallas Woods, Uncanny Valley and more (along with our friends at Unltd) decided to stop exploring and address the issue head on. The messages in the rewritten Boys Do Cry song are heart felt, strong and will leave you welling up after the first watch (let alone the fourth and fifth).
Simon takes us behind the scenes in the making and learnings of the campaign, but also shares what it meant for his own mental health journey. It brought about realisations 30 years in the making. Being able to forge deeper connections with friends and family as well as taking control of his own emotions and seeking the professional support to understand them better.
Simon’s interview is a fitting finale for the Creativity and Football mini-series. One final push to encourage men to open-up, share and realise how powerful embracing your own mental health with the help of others can be.
