Champion Boxer Carl Frampton Addresses Men’s Mental Health

May 19, 2023 

“More men die by suicide in Northern Ireland than any part of the UK.” In response to this alarming situation, former two-time world boxing champion, Carl Frampton, is examining the prevalence of suicide and mental illness among men in his native country - and his own struggles - in a recently released BBC documentary. The film, Men in Crisis, is part of the BBC’s content recognizing this week's Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. 

According to NISRA (the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency), the suicide rate for men and women has been on an upward trajectory since 2019. There were 237 deaths by suicide in the country in 2021 – 176 were men and 61 were women. North Belfast, where Frampton grew up, has the highest rates of suicide of any area in Europe. 

In the DoubleBand Films-produced documentary, Frampton embarks on a journey to understand why so many young men struggle with their mental health and how challenging stereotypes can help more of them talk openly about how they feel. “I didn’t know what to expect when we started this film. I thought my profession made me mentally tough, but I don’t think I was fully prepared for what was to come,” shared Frampton. 

“What I once felt was my weakness, I now realize is my strength. The men I’ve met in this film have shown me that all of us can have mental health issues and anyone, at any time, can be vulnerable to poor mental health. So, although we can’t control all the things that affect us, we can control the choices we make and the people we speak to. That can make all the difference."

Frampton, who spoke at our Beyond the Games forum last year,  speaks to young men from all walks of life who have struggled with their mental health – from anxiety and depression to bipolar disorder and PANDAS (a disorder associated with Streptococcal infections) - to find out about the issues involved and how they can be addressed. He visits local hubs that provide men with a place to talk about and work through some of the challenges they face. The young men share their personal journeys and mental health struggles as well as how they manage their mental health and wellbeing.

For the first time, he also opens about his own mental health struggles and the "things that have made him feel angry, isolated and ashamed" in the hopes of inspiring others to share their difficulties and seek help. He explains that in his youth the stereotypical male was regarded as being "macho" and the expression of "manning up and taking it on the chin" was highly encouraged. He also revealed that he sought the help of a counselor and sport psychologist about the fear surrounding his future after his retirement in 2021.

Frampton visits mental health experts and academics including Dr Michael Duffy from Queen’s University and Dessie Jones who works in suicide prevention about why suicide and poor mental health appear to be worse in Northern Ireland than elsewhere in the UK. The candid film, available on BBC iPlayer, also covers what it’s like to be a man today and whether the growing removal of mental health stigmas has helped more men open up about sharing their problems and seeking support. 

Carl Frampton is a client of Beyond Sport sister organization, thinkBeyond Talent.  

Source: BBC