“LONDON (AP) Prince William has launched a campaign to get more soccer fans, particularly male, talking about mental health.
The “Heads Up” initiative is a partnership between the English Football Association and Heads Together, the campaign spearheaded by William’s Royal Foundation.
Speaking at Wembley Stadium, William says men find it difficult to talk about their mental fitness because “emotions, feelings, are kind of like a bit alien over here.”
William, who is president of the FA, called the silence around men’s mental health a “crisis” and encouraged soccer fans to ask about their friends as they would if they had “broke an arm or an ankle.”
William and his wife, Kate, have lobbied for better treatment of mental-health issues.” - NBCSPORTS
This is just awesome. Prince William has been in some pretty hot water lately but this is all I really care about, not some TMZ bullshit. I can’t get enough of either pro players or people in power to come speak out on mental health and how important it really is. I love that in the most british way he said that British men expressing some type of feelings is “alien” lolol. I remember when I lived in Wales my best bud Ben explained to me the whole british culture, especially male, was to push down all your feelings and then never speak of them like it was a completely normal thing.
I love this for personal reasons as well. I’ve dealt with my personal fair share of suicide in my inner circles and most recently with a best friend who I lived with came very close to being gone from this world forever. Luckily we were on the scene and now he’s gotten the proper help he’s needed. I think it’s still such a taboo thing in England and still this country to discuss any type of psychological help or therapy when it really shouldn’t. As someone who is personally in therapy I can tell you I’ve seen massive growth as a human being and like myself way more.
The final thing I’ll leave you with is the quote by Prince William which I thought was brilliant. He says to talk to your friends about their mental health as if it’s a “broken arm or ankle.” I think not enough times we take how serious depression can be and we don’t treat it like a physical ailment. The best way depression has been described to me was my crazy abnormal psychology professor and he said it’s like “you’re slowly being crushed by a steam roller with no escape and for some the only escape is death.” Now if that doesn’t bring gravity to the situation and give you chills I don’t know what will.
Please reach out. If someone doesn’t want to talk just sit there. They will eventually open up. God bless you Prince William and really hope you didn’t cheat on your wife.
PS: Then again another royal wedding would be tight.
- Author: Kevin Pettit, 25, Founder/Host of Loud Americans Discussing Soccer and Owner of Arsenal FC