A tough, mindful beginning
While the Christopher Senekki we know and love today is a confident, determined man, that was not always the case. Christopher from fifteen years ago tells a different story. Christopher, like many people, used to struggle with identity and self-worth. After sensing his life did not matter the way he wanted it to, he began to research more about prevention of suicides in men and what was being done at that time to create awareness of such an issue. Honing his focus on data produced by the World Health Organization (WHO), Christopher came to the conclusion that much of the discussion in regards to male suicide was vastly under-researched and given even less thought when it came to prevention of harmful behavior. “The publications themselves were overly stereotypical.” Christopher offers. “That being said, there were some keywords that really opened my eyes to the amount of work that needed to be done to change mindsets, those words being ‘human rights,’ that is when I knew if I wanted change I would have to do myself.”
Influence and impact on others
After deciding to dedicate his time to helping others in similar situations to him, Christopher set out to do just that. Christopher aimed to positively influence others’ lives by providing focal points that encouraged positive mindsets. He also created awareness of potentially devastating pitfalls of consequences that people are bound to endure in their lives, and that these pitfalls are not the end of the world. First, he began openly speaking about the issues that men endure when it comes to discussing mental health. Whether it was through open mics or miscellaneous events, Christopher made sure his voice was heard. Sure enough, countless people in the UK began to listen, eager to learn more on the importance of their own mental health. Now, Christopher is a widely known advocate for men’s mental health and mindset progression.
When asked about his own influences, Christopher responded with Daniel Goleman, a world-renowned science journalist who writes about male emotion. “Daniel Goleman is an author I admire and a true inspiration for the work I do today. His books on Emotional Intelligence and many of his articles for the New York Times created the foundation for my mental health prevention program.”
Senekki today
It is no accident that Christopher’s life is vastly different than what it was fifteen years ago. “My life before felt like it lacked purpose. Now I feel very motivated and confident in the work that I am doing and seeing a difference in the way people are perceiving men’s mental health.” It is thanks to his change in mindset and willingness to help others in need that has rewarded him with the life he lives on. Nowadays, Christopher continues to create spaces in which men can safely talk about their mental health without fear of becoming victim to negative stigmas. He reminds us during the interview that men’s mental health will always be an issue worth fighting for. He tells us that even to this day, twelve young men commit suicide in the UK everyday. He tells us that many more revert to substance abuse and fall victims of depression daily. It is crucial now, more than ever, that we follow in Christopher’s footsteps with the goal of eliminating the social barriers that divide men from bettering themselves, both inside and out.
Christopher’s mission is a valuable lesson for us all. We think that socials and current society strongly need some sort of a safety net to support those struggling with mental issues. To know more about his, his Instagram is @s__christopher
