3rd annual NAMI Walk focuses on men’s mental health

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, the National Alliance of Mental Health –the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, hosted its third NAMI Walk Pinellas County event Saturday.

In a show of solidarity hundreds gathered at England Brothers Park in the hopes of bringing renewed awareness to the issues of mental health.

The theme for this year’s walk was ‘Mental Health for All.’  The goal according to NAMI Director, Siomara Bridge-Mata is to make mental health care access more inclusive. 

“There are disparities when it comes to mental health resources and that’s where NAMI Pinellas comes in to provide education and support free to the community,” Bridges-Mata said.

And one group that’s highly underrepresented – MEN. According to the CDC 1 in 10 men experience depression or anxiety, yet fewer than half seek help.

“There’s this stigma that men should be strong. they are the providers for the house, and they are the protectors. yes, and they have a brain and a heart, and it is important that they tune into that and tune into understanding that without mental health there is no health,” she explained.

One man that’s encouraging more men to seek help – like he himself did -is former NFL player, BJ Daniels. He says competition in your field of work, and career and life changes can create pressures that are difficult to handle.

“To be honest with you. a lot of my teammates they’ve gone through some traumatic things and so have i. i want to be their voice. a lot of us won’t come forward because of the stigma, because it’s a male dominated sport, because of our physical stature. no one believes that the money comes with tragedy. I’ve had a lot of peak moments, but I’ve had a lot of valleys too. I want to make sure everyone understands that we’re not too far apart. it’s not a hundred degrees of separation,’ he said.

And Allen Whisler, the franchise owner of Ellie Mental Health, the organization that sponsored Saturday’s event, has been incredibly open about his own struggles with anxiety. He hopes that his speaking out will encourage other men to get the help he wishes he had years ago. 

“The reason I have been so open about it is because they feel alone. they think they are the only ones going through that, but that’s not the case. there are a lot of people that suffer pretty much in silence, particularly men, because they don’t feel that they can get help, but it’s something that the more people talk about it, the more mainstream it will be,’ he said.

In addition to raising awareness, organizers say that Saturday’s walk was a celebration for the providers, care givers, educators and advocates who work to enrich people’s lives every day.