Notes from the Journey

Men’s Health Month Alcohol, Mental Health and Emotional Coping Understanding the Role of Alcohol in Grief, Loss and Life Transitions As Men’s Health Month draws to a close, Week 5 explores a topic that is often closely linked with emotional coping: alcohol use. In partnership with Alcohol Awareness Week, this post gently considers the relationship between drinking and mental health; particularly in the context of grief, loss, loneliness, and life transitions. Many people turn to alcohol during difficult emotional periods, not as a problem in itself, but as a way of managing distress, numbing feelings, or creating temporary relief. This is especially common during times of change, bereavement, or emotional overwhelm. While alcohol can feel like it offers short-term comfort, it often has a more complex impact on mental health over time. In this post, we’ll explore this relationship with compassion and without judgement, recognising that coping strategies often develop for understandable...

Men’s Health Month Coping, Survival and Emotional Overwhelm Understanding How People Manage Grief, Loss and Life Transitions As Men’s Health Month continues, Week 4 turns toward an important and often overlooked aspect of mental health: how people cope. When facing grief, loss, loneliness, or major life transitions, everyone develops ways of managing emotional pain. These coping strategies are not random; they are often shaped by experience, environment, and what has felt necessary to get through difficult times. For many men, coping may involve staying busy, withdrawing emotionally, focusing on work, minimising feelings, or pushing through without pause. While these strategies can help in the short term, they may also create distance from emotions that need space to be acknowledged. This week is not about judging coping strategies, but about understanding them with compassion, and recognising when they may be signalling unmet emotional needs. At a Glance What coping strategies are...

Men’s Health Month Baby Loss, Grief and Silent Sorrow Understanding the Impact of Baby Loss on Mental Health and Identity Week 3 of Men’s Health Month turns toward one of the most painful and often unspoken experiences in grief: baby loss. In connection with SANDS Awareness Week, this post explores the emotional impact of pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and neonatal death, with a particular focus on men’s experiences, while also recognising that baby loss affects people of all genders, identities, and relationship structures.  For many men, grief following baby loss can be complicated by expectations to be “strong,” “supportive,” or “practical” during a time of profound emotional pain. This can lead to feelings being held privately, expressed indirectly, or not spoken about at all. Yet baby loss can profoundly affect identity, relationships, mental health, and the sense of future that was being imagined. In this post, we explore baby loss through a compassionate and inclusive lens, a...

Men’s Health Month Loneliness, Connection and Emotional Isolation Loneliness isn’t about being alone,  it’s about feeling unseen, unheard, and disconnected. As Men’s Health Month continues, Week 2 brings a focus on loneliness, an experience that is far more common than many people realise, yet often remains hidden. In line with the approach of Loneliness Awareness Week, this is an opportunity to gently explore what loneliness really looks like, particularly for men navigating grief, loss, and life transitions. Loneliness is not simply about physical isolation. Many people experience it while surrounded by others - at work, in relationships, or within families. For men especially, social expectations around independence and emotional restraint can make it harder to express vulnerability or seek connection. Over time, this can lead to a quiet sense of disconnection that builds beneath the surface. In this post, we’ll explore loneliness through a compassionate lens, understanding its...