Strength Training

Male mental health has become something of a contentious issue. Experts discuss whether support is necessary for all.

- Mischa Moselle

Aaron Stadlin-Robbie had been dealing with anxiety and other neuroses for six years when he decided to launch a series of podcasts discussing mental health, called Talking Mental (available on Spotify and iTunes).

Through speaking to experts in their fields, Stadlin-Robbie hopes to get to the root of his own problems. He also aims to raise awareness among men, especially in the 25 to 35-year-old age range, of potential mental health problems they may face, and their solutions. When researching podcasting, the Hong Kong-born and raised New Zealander realised he could produce programmes that sounded like he was talking to his rugby mates in the bar, making the ideas more accessible.

The podcasts will deal with a range of issues that include sex, nutrition, sleep and gambling. Stadlin-Robbie hopes to include information about the warning signs of the onset of mental conditions, as well as information about the conditions themselves. The plan is to also talk to men who have survived crises, possibly some New Zealand farmers as that country’s rural male population is experiencing a high rate of suicide.