DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — November is Men’s Health Awareness Month, which highlights a range of men’s health issues, including one that is most likely to be overlooked: mental health.
Comedian Daniel Howell, known for his YouTube channel which has amassed more than six million subscribers, has become a powerhouse for mental health advocacy.
In 2021, Howell showed this by penning “You Will Get Through This Night”, a non-fiction bestseller written in collaboration with clinical psychologist Dr Heather Bolton. The book serves as a practical guide, showing how readers can take control of their mental health, even on days when all hope seems lost.
Now Howell takes to stages around the world for his one-man comedy tour, “We’re All Doomed!”, using humor to confront the mundane issues facing humanity – and soul-searching to find the courage to persevere in spite of their.
“When I first started doing comedy it was observation and observation stuff, then one day I started having a really hard time writing and acting because I was facing a quite severe depression at the time,” Howell explained.
“I thought I just needed to open up about it, and so I, for the first time, opened up about my mental health issues – and what people told me was, no only it was so refreshing and important for people to hear themselves represented in someone else’s story… What I was saying came from a more real and raw place.
Howell said seeing people resonate with his struggles has inspired him to continue to stand up for those who may be suffering in silence. This led him to design his comedic show in a way that also incorporated serious elements.
“For me, it was that green light. People talk about the relationship between comedy and tragedy. Sometimes you cry so hard you laugh, sometimes you laugh so hard you cry. I feel like these things are pretty much connected, and I think the more vulnerable you are on stage, the funnier what you’re talking about is.
Howell finds strength in sharing his mental health issues with others, and he encourages people to open up about the adversities they face.
“When you keep things inside, they bubble up. You like to think you can sit on all your problems… But those things, they just come up under the surface until the day they pop, and that’s not healthy. The more open and honest you are about it, the more immediately you feel freed and can just get on with your life.
As for those who struggle, Howell offers the resounding message of hope.
“You can’t give up, no matter how hard it gets – and it looks like it can be really hard… I think we have no choice but to hope one way or another. other.”
He said if he could share one message, it would be that people are not alone in what they struggle with.
“A lot of people feel like it’s a bad kind of vulnerability to tell people how you feel when you’re feeling bad, but I think it’s quite the opposite. I think it actually shows a incredible amount of courage and bravery,” he said.
“It shows a lot of strength to be able to open up and admit that you’re feeling bad and might need help, and that’s just the first step to a better life, so everyone should be there. go – even if it cracks a few inappropriate jokes.
More information, including ticket availability, for the “We’re All Doomed!” the comedy tour can be found here.
#give #Daniel #Howell #talks #mental #health