IDAHO DAY MAY 17th

May 17th marks world IDAHO day, International Day Against Homophobia, a worldwide day for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people, and heterosexual people supporting them, to come together to campaign for equal rights, equal treatment and reduce hate crime.

Currently only 11 countries recognise same sex marriages and shockinly 76 countries still prosecute people on the grounds of the sexual orientation. Part of the aim of IDAHO day is to make people aware of such inequalities, and promote the social acceptance of being LGBT.

May 17th was chosen because it marks the anniversary of the decision to remove homosexuality from the list of mental disorders, a turning point for the social acceptance of LGBT people.

An International Day Against Homophobia belongs to no one individual. It’s about all people hoping for a prejudice-free world that can provide a place at the table for everyone regardless of their sexual orientation. Inspired by all world theme-days, the day set aside to fight homophobia needs to be appropriated by all of those actively involved in civil society: gay and lesbian community organisations, those organisations focusing on other types of sexual diversity, unions, employers, private businesses, governments, public administration, professional associations, and all individuals seeking equality.

This year Men's Sexual Health will be visiting Tesco Extra, Ocotal Way, Swindon to raise awereness for this day, and encourage the community of Swindon to show their support.

To find out more information on IDAHO and other events around the world, visit the official page http://www.dayagainsthomophobia.org

Posted: May 8 by Matt (updated May 8) • Add comment

Depression - Taking the first step

This week (22nd-28th April) is depression awareness week and with currently 1-5 people in the UK suffering from some form of depression, Men’s Sexual Health agree more should be done to lower the stigma and raise the awareness around mental health and depression.

The word 'depression' is used to describe everyday feelings of low mood which can affect us all from time to time. Feeling sad or fed up is a normal reaction to experiences that are upsetting, stressful or difficult; those feelings will usually pass.

If you are affected by depression, you are not 'just' sad or upset. You have an illness which means that intense feeling of persistent sadness, helplessness and hopelessness are accompanied by physical effects such as sleeplessness, a loss of energy, or physical aches and pains.

Sometimes people may not realise how depressed they are, especially if they have been feeling the same for a long time, if they have been trying to cope with their depression by keeping themselves busy, or if their depressive symptoms are more physical than emotional.

Here is a list of the most common symptoms of depression. As a general rule, if you have experienced four or more of these symptoms, for most of the day nearly every day, for over two weeks, then you should seek help

• Tiredness and loss of energy
• Persistent sadness
• Loss of self-confidence and self-esteem
• Difficulty concentrating
• Not being able to enjoy things that are usually pleasurable or interesting
• Undue feelings of guilt or worthlessness
• Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
• Sleeping problems - difficulties in getting off to sleep or waking up much earlier than usual
• Avoiding other people, sometimes even your close friends
• Finding it hard to function at work/college/school
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of sex drive and/ or sexual problems
• Physical aches and pains
• Thinking about suicide and death
• Self-harm

Depression can sometimes make every-day things such as speaking to friends, eating a meal or even just getting out of bed feel almost impossible to manage.

It can feel confusing when things you once took for granted become so difficult and many people can start to feel unsure of who they are and what they’re good at. Sometimes people may have to take time off work, find it hard to spend time with friends or family and can feel too exhausted to do the things they used to enjoy.

Not being able to ‘see’ depression in the same way you could do with a broken arm or leg can often make it feel difficult to explain to others why you find it so hard to get out of bed or why you feel unable to concentrate at work. People with depression can often feel unable to talk to their family, colleagues and friends about what they’re experiencing and may feel like they have to hide it from those around them. They might hope it will go away by itself, or that they just need to ‘toughen up’ and ’snap out of it’. Indeed, it’s often something that can go up and down and can sometimes take a long time until it becomes manageable.

Depression is different for everyone, but just like any other illness it can get better with the right help and support. There are many different ways of managing depression that can help you to lead a normal, healthy and active life.

At Men’s Sexual Health we are also aware how people who have difficulty with their sexuality can be at much greater risk of depression, especially young people where growing up is already a difficult time, to feel different than what’s ‘perceived’ as ‘normal’ can many to spiral into depression. In a recent survey 53% of LGB (lesbian, gay & bisexual) youths, have contemplated self harm, 40% attempted at least once and 32% on more than one occasion. Even more saddening, LGB youths are 3 times more likely to attempt suicide than that of their heterosexual peers. Many will often attempt to cope with such distress with smoking, drinking and illicit drug use, with percentages of usage again much higher than their peers, for example, alcoholism affects the LGB community at a rate of 22-30 percent compared with 10% the national average

But it’s not just a youth issue; many older LGB people also suffer from depression, for many different reasons, and not all because of their sexuality.

Regardless of your sexuality, talking to someone you trust can be an important first step. Most people with depression are treated by their doctor, who'll listen to what you're experiencing and chat to you about treatment options. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may suggest:

• self-help(e.g. support groups, exercise, changes in diet)
• talking treatments (e.g. CBT, counselling)
• antidepressant tablets

Everyone is different so it can sometimes take time to find the right treatments and you might need to visit your doctor on a number of occasions.

But it’s important to take that first step, and make contact, you can either call us on 01793 250951 if you are Swindon based, or if national you can call the Samaritans  08457 90 90 90. We can offer counselling service for clients who are Swindon based.

To read more about depression visit http://www.depressionalliance.org/

Posted: April 23 by Matt (updated May 8) • Add comment

Condoms - Does Size Really Matter?!

Condoms are an important part of a good healthy and safe sex life, so it’s important that you find the right one, just like you would with any other safety equipment you would plan to purchase. Most men would admit they don’t know much about the condoms they buy or the different types and sizes that are available to them, and yet most have had experiences where the condom has either fallen off, or split, both of which could lead to possible infection if one partner was infected.

Most condoms will fit people length wise, because if you continue to roll out a condom you will see they are long enough for nearly all men. However the width (girth) does vary and this is the important part to measure.

If you have a tape measure to hand, next time you are alone and erect, measure your width and this general guide should help you to find the right size condom for you.

If you are under 12cm circumference round then you will most likely suit a Trim fit condom, 12-13cm then a regular size condom will probably suit you, 13-14cm then a large size condom would suit you and anything over 14cm you should go for a king size condom.

Remember this is just a guide, if when you have measured for some reason it still doesn’t fit, then go for the next size up or down accordingly.  Also different companies who make condoms have different sizes in each type, so one company’s version of trim might be bigger or smaller than another different company’s trim.

So the best thing to do is go out and buy a good selection of sizes and brands and go home and have some fun by yourself to find the best one, that way when it comes to using them with someone else, there will be less fumbling and concerns of it falling off or splitting. A lot of men worry over penis size and will over estimate and purchase a size too big, it’s better to be honest and get the size that really represents what you have, it’s important to be safe when having sex to reduce risk of transmission of STI's, HIV and preventing unwanted pregnancy.

Other things to remember when it comes to condoms: make sure the foil is intact, there should be a feel of air in the foil pack; check the expiry date is fine and that is has the BSi Kitemark and CE mark, this is especially important if you are travelling abroad, so ensure you purchase before you leave if you can. Finally make sure you have a water based lube to accompany your condom, this again will reduce the risk of tearing the condom.

If you happen to live in Swindon then you can order free condoms and lube from our website, just click on the link at the top right of the main website page. Any orders outside of Swindon will not be sent, and only one order per month.

Posted: March 15 by Matt (updated May 8) • Add comment

Bowel Cancer Month

April is Bowel Cancer awareness month and Men’s Sexual Health thinks it’s an important topic all men and their partners should be made more aware of. You have probably seen the current adverts on TV that the government are running to improve people’s understanding of this form of cancer. We’d like to provide you with a few more facts and information in preparation for next month’s campaign:

Someone dies from Bowel Cancer every 30 minutes and it is the third most common cancer in the UK. More than 37,000 people are diagnosed with bowel and colorectal cancer every year in Britain. It claims almost 16,000 lives and it’s the second biggest killer, second only to lung cancer. It affects men and women, particularly those who are over 50. However, the sooner a patient is diagnosed with bowel cancer, the better their chances of survival.

The good news is that Bowel Cancer can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases if it is diagnosed at an early stage, before it has had a chance to grow and spread.

The symptoms of bowel (colorectal) cancer can be:

·Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo

·A change in bowel habit lasting for 3 weeks or more especially looser or runny poo

·Unexplained weight loss

·Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason

·A pain or lump in your tummy

You might experience one, some, or all of the above or no symptoms at all. Remember most symptoms will not be bowel cancer.

If you are worried about any symptoms that you think might be caused by Bowel Cancer, make an appointment with your doctor. You’re not wasting anyone’s time by getting your symptoms checked out and if it’s not serious, your mind will be put at rest. However, if it turns out to be a condition such as Bowel Cancer, early detection can make all the difference. A trip to your doctor’s surgery could save your life!

If you are aged 60-69 you’ll be sent bowel ‘screening’ kits every two years.

If you are aged 70 or over you can request a kit by phoning 0800 707 60 60, although in some parts of the country you will be sent kits up until you are 75.

It’s really important that you use the kits, as they can help to catch Bowel Cancer early, before you have any symptoms.

Experts say that these screening kits can significantly reduce the risk of dying from Bowel Cancer. They can also detect polyps, which can be easily removed. Polyps aren’t cancers, but in some cases they can develop into cancer.

By taking some simple steps to improve your diet and taking regular exercise you can help to reduce your risk of bowel cancer. So it is important to:

• consider what you are eating
• eat plenty of fibre
• eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day
• avoid processed meats and have no more than 500g of red meat per week
• keep active with regular exercise
• keep hydrated and avoid drinks containing caffeine
• know your alcohol limits
• don't smoke
• know the symptoms of bowel cancer and act on them if you have any concerns
• take part in the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in your area when you are invited. This involves completing a simple test which can help identify whether further investigation is necessary

If you have any more concerns about Bowel Cancer, check out the NHS website

http://www.nhs.uk/bowelcancer/Pages/bowel-cancer.aspx

or the Bowel Cancer UK website http://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/

Posted: March 15 by Matt (updated March 19) • Add comment

Counsellor wanted!

Men's Sexual Health is looking for a Volunteer Counsellor to work with our organisation. We are seeking a keen, enthusiastic and dedicated individual, who can work with our client group under a voluntary post. This would suit a trainee counsellor who is looking for a work placement to fulfil their qualification requirements, or any qualified counsellor who is willing to donate their time and skills and who has a passion for this area of work.

Ideally the person would live in or near Swindon, where our service is based, and would be able to get into the main centre where we have a building suitable for your use.  We anticipate a commitment of approximately 2 hours per week, depending on the number of clients who wish to access our counselling service. It would be beneficial to our clients for you to have a specific interest in discussing topics such as:  sexuality, depression, substance use issues, relationship difficulties, self image & self worth, domestic violence and erectile dysfunction. You will be required to have a full CRB check before starting with us, at our expense. If this exciting post interests you please email info@menssexualhealth.org.uk or call 01793 250951

Posted: March 15 by Matt (updated March 16) • Add comment