Mental Health is No Laughing Matter Says Comedian John Ryan

“But what better place than the Space Centre,” he noted, “to remind us that we are not alone in our universe, we *are* part of something.”

Addressing the audience of the National Highways Commercial Vehicle Safety on the Strategic Road Network conference, John sandwiched the sad facts of male mental health issues between riotously funny one-liners.

“One in 5 men do not make it to 65. Looking around this room I can see some of you don’t have long to go,” he said. Men often don’t listen to health advice, and frequently do not open up about mental health issues because they do not want to feel judged or stereotyped. He warns that the micro-aggression of workplace ‘banter’ can be problematic, and increase a person’s isolation.

Fleet operators should be aware that:

• Sitting for more than six hours a day makes moderate psychological stress 90% more likely

• Those who sit for long periods are 24% more likely to develop colon cancer

• Stress is most often caused by factors we cannot control – such as other people

• Stress stops us performing well – hence 4% of lost remote controls are found in the fridge and 2% outside the house. John hit on the idea of teaching about mental health through laughter while doing stand up. “I gig in theatres to hundreds of people. They laugh, they listen, so I thought maybe I could sneak in some useful stuff cloaked in fun. I worked in community care, I have a Master’s degree in health, I am a performer. It all just seems to naturally come together.”

How to help someone with anxiety

Ask them to list:

• Five things they can see

• Four things they can touch

• Three things they can hear

• Two things they can smell

• One emotion they feel

Helping those with depression

“One in four people has depression,” says John. “Often they need pals, not pills. But if someone has depression, they cannot reach out – so you have to.”

His key message, he says, is: “Don’t ever think it can’t happen to you.”

John challenged us all to change our behaviours – something we proved we could do during the COVID pandemic.

• Don’t judge

• Don’t tolerate banter and derisory terms

• Allow people to take their time – do we really always need to be in a rush?

• Use carrots, not sticks, kindness not criticism

• Acknowledge that depression is an illness – and we would never tell someone with food poisoning to ‘cheer up’

Looking after drivers

Men, says John, typically take better care of their vehicles than of themselves. Fleet managers and operators need to ensure that they take as good care of the driver as of the vehicle – because they both need to be roadworthy for life.

Having a supportive culture, destigmatising mental health issues, being a good friend, understanding that people may have bad days, or need time to seek help – these are all crucial cultural changes.

Drivers should also be encouraged to eat well. Gut health affects brain health. The microbiome of the intestine is critically linked to the neurotransmitters and hormones which create mood and cognitive function. Simple dietary changes, such as eating more fresh fruit and veg, good hydration and ensuring good sources of probiotics help to maintain gut health.

“Health is like money – we don’t know it’s true value until it’s gone,” he says. “And if I’ve offended you – you really need help.”