Men, You Aren't Weak If You Struggle! By Patrick Ball of Musgrove and Ball

For Men's Health Week 12–19 June 2024, PhysioPod asked Patrick Ball, Co-Director of Nottingham's Musgrove and Ball to contribute his thoughts. In 2022, Patrick Ball and his partner Sophie Musgrove founded their company after overcoming addiction issues that dated back over 15 years.

"Over the best part of the last two years, I've delivered presentations to thousands of employees from the likes of Virgin Active, Nestlé, Kier Group, BAE Systems, Crane, and Rolls Royce with the aim of getting people to open up if they are struggling with alcohol or any kind of addiction.

The most concerning statistic I've heard in that time is that, for every industrial death in a UK workplace, 32 people commit suicide, with addiction accounting for around half of those deaths.

On top of that, two people a day in construction take their own lives every day due to the industry culture and men trying to be men, not opening up about their feelings.

We've helped hundreds of people come forward when they are struggling, and it's the best thing they could ever do. They tell me that a weight is lifted off their shoulders.

Let's get rid of the stigma around addiction, alcoholism, mental health, and opening up about our feelings.

Let me tell every man out there reading this for Men's Health Week that the ladies in your life—your Mums, sisters, girlfriends, wives, and daughters—will not think you are weak for opening up or crying.

They'd much rather that than you suffering in silence and doing something awful that would impact their lives forever.

I'm off to Dublin this week to share my story about "hiding addiction in the workplace" with workers on the large Codling Wind Park Project near Leopardstown Racecourse.

I will return to attend the InsideOut Awards with my partner Sophie, as we are up for the Physical Wellbeing Initiative of the Year award against some of the biggest companies in the UK.

I will then return to spend the weekend with my beautiful partner and three children, including our baby daughter Peaches, who turned one recently.

The reason I'm sharing this is that it wouldn't have been possible if I'd not opened up about my struggles in 2019. I wouldn't be sitting here today.

Happy Men's Health Week, everyone, and remember that reaching out for help when you are struggling could save your life."

Patrick Ball and Sophie Musgrove

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