'There are a lot of stereotypes': Saskatoon author shares men’s mental health experiences

Saskatoon author shares men’s mental health experiences Watch: CTV Saskatoon’s Miriam Valdes-Carletti tells us how a man is raising awareness of men’s mental health.

SASKATOON — Allan Kehler is looking to change the landscape of the outlook on men's mental health issues.

Prior to COVID-19, Kehler would travel to communities across Sask. to interview and speak on men's mental health issues.

He says he found a lot of men who were done with hiding their emotions and ready to share their stories.

Over time, Kehler saw a common theme from all his interviews.

"After they reached out for help they said, 'that wasn't that bad, what I thought was going to happen didn't actually happen.'"

Instead they felt welcomed, liberated and that they didn’t need to hide.

Compiling interviews, Kehler wrote the book ""MENtal Health: It's Time to Talk." It features men from across the province who open up about their experiences with mental health, sexual abuse, addictions, suicide and ultimately healing.

He says the Saskatchewan perspective is also unique due to farming and rural areas.

"There are a lot of stereotypes that still exist around farming, what it means to be a man. Put your head down, suck it up," Kehler says. "Well the problem is, that doesn't work very well."

Robin Mitchell, director of operations at Crocus Co-operative, says that the stigma of mental health is improving over time.

"It's still kind of difficult. It has certainly gotten better, the more we talk about it the easier it is for one more person to come forward with their own struggles," Mitchell says.

Mitchell also adds that access to mental health resources in rural areas in the province can add to the issues of men not getting the help they need.

"I think that in Saskatchewan because of the rural nature of a lot of our people and the remoteness of some of our communities to services, it's probably even worse in other places," Mitchell adds.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kehler adds that while people are suffering, a lot of people have persevered and defined resilience.

People are now taking the time to slow down and ask themselves "What is it that I want? What is it that I need?”

"There's a lot of great people and a lot of great work being done."