This week, resident blogger Elvin Box explains how Sol Campbell's early departure is linked to mental health within the construction industry. To read the latest entries, visit www.qsnews.co.uk. To comment on his thoughts, click at the top of the page

Sun 5th February

No doubt you've have heard the joke doing the rounds since last Wednesday evening, when Arsenal and (ex?) England defender Sol Campbell made a dash for the exit after probably the worst 45 minutes of his illustrious football career. "Are you up for a Sol? A quick half, then straight home!"

As humorous as the witty refrain is, it only draws a thin veil over the fact that a large number of men's mental wellbeing is as fragile as the seemingly super fit, ultra-confident and wildly successful Sol Campbell's. Medical experts have since gone on record to say they hope that this event draws attention to the severe strain men are put under from work, domestic or financial worries, and who then suffer a major crisis.

President of the Men's Health Forum, Dr Ian Banks, says it is the seemingly never-ending coping with the accumulation of problems that engenders that ‘one last thing' and the proverbial camel's back being finally broken.

Consequently men under such pressure do as Campbell did, and walk away from the arena of their problems. Alternatively they turn to drink or drugs. Worst-case scenario is the ‘last straw' leading to suicide.

Are you up for a Sol? A quick half, then straight home!

Elvin Box, QS News blogger

We men in the construction sector know a thing or two about stress at work, don't we? We would never do a ‘Sol' - would we?

Unfortunately, the answer is yes to both questions. During my career I have witnessed colleagues and associates storm away, like Sol, from problem projects, turn to the bottle in the hope of finding an answer and in the most tragic case, a colleague took their own life when they could take no more.

The Football Association is hosting the 'Men's Health Forum's Annual Conference' on 12 June: ‘Men And Mental Wellbeing'. Maybe us good ‘ol construction guys should be well represented there. It would help put on our industry's radar the less well-known twin of that famous ‘Act' of parliament dear Mr. Prescott is always admonishing us about. The Safety bit gets massive PR, let's get a tad more sophisticated and focus too on the Health bit.

Source

QS News