Entertainment

Professor Green on mental health: It’s a conversation we need to continue

The musician has spoken of the importance of talking about mental health.
The musician has spoken of the importance of talking about mental health.

Professor Green has said championing talking about mental health is a conversation he rallies at “every opportunity”.

The musician is among the guests to appear on Jacamo Arms Length, a new a four-part weekly series which will see celebrities opening up about mental health during lockdown.

The series, hosted in partnership with The Book of Man and Calm (Campaign Against Living Miserably), will also see comedian Russell Kane and SAS: Who Dares Wins star Jason Fox, appearing as guests.

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Welcome to the Jacamo Arms Length, our new series focussing on men in lockdown and after. We've teamed up with @thebookofman and @calmzone to discuss mental health and other issues related to the current lockdown situation – including how we're all going to cope on the other side. We're so excited to bring you the first episode, 'Men Locked In', featuring @professorgreen, @russell_kane and @simongunning from @calmzone Tune in now for an in-depth and often extremely funny look at life during this crisis. As part of this series we are raising money for CALM with a dedicated TipJar – check out our link in our bio and please take time to donate. Never has there been a more important Mental Health Awareness Week and CALM are right at the centre of providing support for people who need it. We will also be donating the profits from selected Jacamo branded hoodies to CALM. Shop the range here: https://bit.ly/3bO6jja Visit @thecalmzone for more information and any help you need. We really hope you enjoy this episode – more on the way! #JacamoArmsLength #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

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Musician Green, 36, said: “I’ve been working tirelessly to keep this conversation going because every time it feels like you get somewhere, there’s a new loss of life, and suicide and mental health problems are rife, especially during this time.

“There’s probably a lot of people who don’t normally suffer who are currently and I think it’s a conversation we need to continue because no matter how much is done this is still a huge problem, the statistics speak for themselves. It’s a conversation I rally at every opportunity I get for the most part.”

According to recent research done in an online survey by YouGov, 38% of UK men say they have noticed a negative effect on their own mental health due to lockdown.

Talking about why it was important to speak about mental health during the coronavirus pandemic, Green said: “Because I think it can highlight problems that maybe people were able to distract themselves from.

“In day-to-day life we’ve got quite lot that we busy ourselves with which are quite healthy distractions and a lot of people have found themselves in situations with pressures they don’t normally have.”

The musician also spoke about fasting as part of Ramadan while he is in lockdown in Morocco.

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Eid Mubarak 🌹 I cant say I nailed Ramadan, observing a Holy month while not having been religious I found the spiritual side much more difficult than the physical element – the fasting (which I did manage). A lot was highlighted; the impurity of many thoughts, unhealthy connections, cravings (beyond food and drink), arguments… it’s incredibly difficult to maintain an absence of these things consistently and takes a huge amount of discipline and strength – I imagine it’s made harder by the modern world. Looking at things that are far too common a part of our lives that we carry on day to day being unaware of gives a whole new perspective. Respect and love to everyone celebrating. ❤️

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He said: “It’s interesting. I haven’t felt the spiritual side of it, not being religious that’s been more difficult, but the fasting side I’ve done pretty well.”

Jacamo has committed to donating the profits from the sales of its own branded hoodies to Calm during the campaign, which will see an episode hosted each Friday on @JacamoUKInstagramTV, with all episodes going up on their YouTube channel shortly thereafter.