When I read this headline, I got very excited. Vulnerable talk, which led to action. I’ll give the growth stats below (limited data referenced, but still growth). Before the numbers tho, it’s impt to share some observations as to why this talk was so impactful & went viral:
– It wasn’t expected: we’re so used to athletes giving a clichè talk after a fight/match/game
– It happened in a “warrior” sport like MMA where you don’t expect these athletes to show that they’re anything but indestructible, especially after a win
– It came from the heart & was influenced by a personal story: Paddy had just lost a friend to suicide…he showed his vulnerability & how painful this event was to him – a personal plea
– It didn’t happen bc of an endorsement deal or on a studio set: MH endorsements have become big business…Paddy MAY go that way at some pt, but this was genuine & organic
– He continued to talk abt it in the post fight interviews: emoting the same/possibly even more than the address right after the fight
– He didn’t use labels or disorders: he was appealing to men everywhere to just be open & talk bc we ALL go thru things
I was & am still a little iffy abt the specific language that was used surrounding suicide by Paddy…& the appearance that suicide is always a choice. That said, the benefits listed above from his genuine delivery & concern seem to FAR outweigh some of the language that may’ve been a little off.
It’s so impt we share the positive impacts that talks like these make. Consider this:
Men attending Andy’s Man Club, one of the most prominent men’s mental health groups in West Yorkshire, in the UK, surged following Pimblett’s plea, w many men attending for the first time.
Across both of the Leeds & Castleford group, attendance grew tremendously as well. This info was via the Yorkshire Evening Post – so, local impact when you consider Paddy’s UFC fight/win was in London.
My guess is, given the clip’s virality, there were positive changes in help-seeking like this all over the globe.
We need more public figures appealing to others in real, vulnerable, human ways. This is a great example.
