The men’s shelter, which has had an increased current in the last two years. Close to 11,000 calls have been answered this year. That is twice as many compared to last year and a sharp increase from 2020, when the number was just over 3,600 calls.
There are currently 30 volunteers, but chairman Peter Svanborg states that they need as many more to meet capacity.
– I think it’s about half that we can’t capture because we don’t have enough staffing. But we also can’t have a team that sits and waits because the calls come in bursts when there are fewer calls.
One of the reasons why more men are getting in touch, he believes, is that many have problems in the relationship left over from the corona pandemic.
– What we are seeing now is the effect that people have stepped on each other during the pandemic. You have been working at home together and it has become more difficult to take care of the relationship.
“Custody dispute”
He also believes that it is about the fact that the taboo about men’s mental illness has decreased.
– We are not very used to asking for help, but that is changing, thank God. It is seen more as a strength today.
Many testify to mental abuse, threats of physical violence or divorce and feel controlled, pressured or questioned by their partner, says Peter Svanborg.
– It is also about grieving fathers not being allowed to see their children. You may be in the middle of a custody dispute where the partner has moved away somewhere with the children.
Missing 600 volunteers
Even people on call have difficulty answering callers. 120 volunteers manage an average of 20 support meetings a day, which are more than two minutes long. There will be a total of just over 10,000 calls each year.
– Our capacity to receive calls is limited and we only have time to talk to about 20 percent of those who call our switchboard. To be able to take all the calls, we would have to have five times as many volunteers as today, says Henrik Edström, chairman.
Tough during the Christmas holiday
The Frisk and Free hotline for people with eating disorders also sees an increased pressure on contact attempts and especially now during the Christmas holiday when there is a big focus on food.
– What also happens during long weekends is that many routines are disrupted. Routines can be a security and what makes everyday life work fairly normally, therefore it can become unmanageable and anxious because of that, says Marika Rasmusson, press officer.