A mental health charity has seen a surge in men seeking help during the coronavirus pandemic, with work concerns one of the most common reasons.

Brothers in Arms Scotland is dedicated to preventing male suicide and runs an app offering free advice and a live coaching service to help manage stress and anxiety.

In May there were 1,653 users of the Brothers-Thrive app – the highest number recorded since it launched last year.

Dan Proverbs, founder of the charity, said the most common negative situation that users had raised concerns about was work.

“I don’t think that’s any coincidence we were getting that in May,” he said.

“Work has always been part of the concerns, but never on that scale – more often it was relationships, sometimes money.

“My concern from the coronavirus is the long-term effects of job security especially as let’s be honest, very often we men define ourselves in the career or job we do.

“What is going to happen when ‘normality’ resumes and how are men going to respond?”

Mr Proverbs founded Brothers In Arms Scotland with the aim of providing a space for men to seek help before they reach crisis point.

He said much of the driving force was his own experience of mental health issues, which included planning for suicide in 2002.

He said: “I waited for crisis before going down that route and so it struck me, why are we waiting to reach crisis, why are we waiting until we reach that point when we become desperate?

“For example, someone did a fantastic fundraiser to put telephone lines along the Clyde because so many people, especially men, were taking their own lives.

“I felt not that it’s a bad idea, but why are we waiting to put the telephone lines along the Clyde when it is at the end of the journey? Why have we not got something in place right at the beginning so they don’t reach that point?

“The stats show 75% of all suicide is male and the more research I did the more I realised you needed a separate space that men could feel comfortable in.”

The Brothers-Thrive app, which is free to use, provides a live service to guide users through a self-management programme and a private and secure chat system so they can talk to a coach.

Mr Proverbs said: “It’s like the idea you go down to your gym and you have got a gym coach. It is about self-management and managing your own mental wellbeing.

“The guy can feel safe in that once he is on board and registered; he can use it whenever he feels he needs to.

“We have tried to push the narrative don’t use it just when you are crisis – use it three times a week for five minutes at a time, or whenever you need to get some advice from a coach.”

There has been a surge in younger people downloading the app since the pandemic – the 18 to 24 year old age group now accounts for around 18% of users, compared to just 3% last year.

A ‘Sisters in Arms’ button has also been added to the website, with many women downloading the app to support family members or friends.

Mr Proverbs said he was confident the app was working, giving the example of one man who said he was ready to see his GP to seek help after using it.

“The bigger picture is that this will help the NHS and GPs, as it helps men to self-manage their concerns,” he said.

“It does not replace that – of course it can’t – but it is part of the way of stopping men reaching a point where they feel there is no way out.”

 

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