Trigger warning: Mental illness, suicide    Take a bite: Episode 27 of The Bite podcast is a special one in commemoration of World Mental Health Day on 10 October. Editor-in-Chief of Esquire Singapore Norman Tan and podcast host Debra Langely sit down with Counsellor and Psychotherapist from The Lighthouse Counselling Belinda Lau (https://www.tlhcounselling.com/) , and best-selling author and long-time advocate of mental health Neil Humphreys, to discuss mental health among men.  In the second half of the session, the podcasters are joined by Dr Alex Su, Vice Chairman of the Medical Board and Senior Consultant at the Institute of Mental Health, and play a conversational card game by Beyond The Label and Smol Tok (https://www.starknicked.com/beyond-the-label-booster-pack) .    00:00—Introduction Our hosts Debra Langely (fashion and tech consultant) and Norman Tan (editor-in-chief of Esquire Singapore) introduce the topic of the day: men and mental health.  1:42—"Coffee Catch Up" Debra and Norman share their thoughts on the recent Gucci spring/summer 2020 show at Milan Fashion Week, where model Ayesha Tan Jones staged a protest (https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2019/sep/22/gucci-model-mental-health-protest-milan-fashion-week) during the catwalk show by holding up their hands with the words “mental health is not fashion” written on them. 5:03—"Fresh off the grill" Feature segment with a new guest each podcast. In this episode, Belinda and Neil join the hosts for an open conversation on mental health issues, especially among men.  The group examines the troubling statistic of high suicide rates among men, and discusses how toxic masculinity plays a role in depression and suicide in men. They talk about the importance of acknowledging and having conversations about mental health illnesses, and ridding the common misbelief that it’s a sign of weakness.    They also consider how social media, increased smart phone usage and shifting cultural norms thwart our perception of self-worth, value and contentment, which has proven direct links to mental health disorders.   43:18—"Last call of the day" In the last segment of the session, the podcasters are joined by Dr Alex Su, who has more than 25 years of looking after mental health in Singapore and promoting mental wellness.   Together, they play a mental health conversational card game by Beyond The Label and Smol Tok (https://www.starknicked.com/beyond-the-label-booster-pack) . The cards serve as a starting point to explore the impact of mental health stigma in society, and help people reflect on their personal beliefs and attitudes towards persons with mental health conditions.   What are some coping strategies our podcasters use to get through a difficult day? What are some day-to-day difficulties people with mental health conditions face? What do they think is the biggest misconception of mental health? Tune in to find out.    If you need someone to talk to, there are resources and hotlines available: Samaritans of Singapore (https://www.sos.org.sg/) : 1800-221-4444 Singapore Association for Mental Health (https://www.samhealth.org.sg/) : 1800-283-7019 Institute of Mental Health’s crisis helpline (https://www.imh.com.sg/) : 6389-2222 Care Corner Counselling Centre (http://www.carecorner.org.sg/cccc.html) (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800 Silver Ribbon (http://www.silverribbonsingapore.com/) : 6386-1928 Tinkle Friend (for primary school-aged children) (https://www.tinklefriend.sg/) : 1800-274-4788 Beyond the Label HelpBot: (https://m.me/beyondthelabelsg/) A Facebook messenger bot with resources, helplines and information about mental health. LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, SHARE Loved our podcast? Subscribe (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bite-by-esquire-singapore/id1373591175?ign-mpt=uo%3D4&ls=1&mt=2) . Stay connected to us on social media by following us on Fa