A LOCAL NHS trust has called on men to look after their mental health during the coronavirus pandemic.

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW), which operates Ferndene in Prudhoe, asked male staff how they were feeling during the pandemic and how the pandemic might have affected them. Clinical psychologist Dr Nicholas Hudson has shared his thoughts.

He said: “When I saw the invite for men’s stories related to COVID-19, I initially waved it off. I thought ‘nothing dramatic has happened to me'.

“However, the invite to write this story stayed with me. When I thought a little deeper on what life’s been like for me, during the pandemic I have lost a great deal of things that fulfil me and enrich my life. It’s ok to admit that times are hard, stressful, and you’re struggling. You most certainly aren’t alone, we’re struggling too. But we’ll get there.”