Mental Health

[John Reyes]

Hi there,

I have been affected by mental health issues during the Gold Members Elections and in the period leading up to them and before hand.

I was wondering what people's views are on mental health and what the ECF and local leagues could do to support those who may be struggling.

Does your club or league do anything to raise awareness of mental health or provide support to members?

Personally, I attend Andy's Man Club, and in April I became a facilitator because I wanted to give something back. The support I received helped me through a difficult period, and I know firsthand how much negative experiences and personal challenges can affect a person's wellbeing and mental health.

I would be interested to hear about other people's experiences and any initiatives that clubs or leagues have in place.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Thank you for posting about this, John. I don't know of anything personally within local or national chess, but I am aware of community and NHS support structures. I find chess helps my mental wellbeing, but if I found it was affecting it (or administrating chess was affecting my enjoyment of the game) I would talk to those who I know in the chess community and/or seek help outside the chess structure.

I say the latter, because I tend to compartmentalise chess from other areas of my life. Other people obviously take different approaches as suits them. I do agree that chess could do more to signpost ways to get support, but I would not necessarily expect it. One thing I have found that does help is to be a member of more than one chess club, though that approach is not available to everyone.

[John Reyes]

I contacted the ECF to seek their views and shared the information below.

"Over the past couple of years, I have faced some significant challenges which have had a serious impact on my mental health. More recently, I found the Gold Representative election process particularly difficult. During that period, I felt that I was subjected to criticism and allegations that I believed were unfair and untrue. Whether intended or not, the situation left me feeling distressed, isolated and under considerable pressure.

The stress had a serious impact on both my wellbeing and my physical health. In April 2024, I was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, and by May I was struggling greatly and experienced thoughts of suicide. It was one of the most difficult periods of my life.

Thankfully, I was able to get support from my doctor through changes to my medication, and I also started attending Andy's Man Club. The support, understanding and sense of community I found there have been life-changing.

My own journey has been challenging, but it has also led me to become a facilitator with Andy's Man Club. Below is a video that helps explain how AMC groups operate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lA-tHoJD24&t=71s


I have now received a response from the CEO, which is encouraging, and I am grateful that the matter has been acknowledged. I will provide any updates as matters progress. Watch this space.