DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — November is Men’s Health Awareness Month, which highlights a variety of men’s health issues, including one that’s most likely to get neglected: mental health.
Comedian Daniel Howell, known for his Youtube channel who has amassed more than six million subscribers, has become a powerhouse for mental health advocacy.
In 2021, Howell showed this by writing “You Will Get Through This Night”, a non-fiction bestseller written in collaboration with clinical psychologist Dr. Heather Bolton. The book serves as a practical guide, explaining the ways readers can take control of their mental health, even on days when all hope seems lost.
Now Howell takes to stages around the world for his solo comedy tour, “We’re All Doomed!”, using humor to confront the mundane problems facing humanity, and doing some soul searching to find the courage to persevere despite them.
“When I started doing comedy, it was something to do with observation, and then one day I started having a really hard time even writing and acting because I was dealing with pretty severe depression at the time,” Howell reflected.
“I thought I just needed to open up about it, so for the first time I talked about my struggles with mental health, and what people told me was that it was not only so refreshing and important that people hear themselves represented. in someone else’s story… What he was saying was coming from a more real and raw place.”
Howell said seeing people resonate with their struggles inspired him to continue advocating for those who may be suffering in silence. This led him to design his comedy stage show in a way that also incorporated serious elements.
“For me, that was this green light. People talk about the relationship between comedy and tragedy. Sometimes you cry so much that you laugh, sometimes you laugh so much that you cry. I feel like these things are pretty related, and I think the more vulnerable you are on stage, the funnier what you’re talking about.”
Howell finds strength in sharing his mental health struggles with others, and encourages people to speak up about the adversities they face.
“When you keep things inside, they bubble up. You like to think you can sit on all your problems… But these things, they just bubble up under the surface until one day they blow up, and that’s not healthy. The more open and honest you are about it, it immediately feels so freeing, and you can get on with your life.”
As for those who are struggling, Howell offers a resounding message of hope.
“You can’t give up, no matter how hard it gets, and it seems like it can be very difficult… I think we have no choice but to hope somehow.”
He said that if he could share one message, it would be that people are not alone with what they are struggling with.
“A lot of people feel like it’s a bad kind of vulnerability to tell people how you feel when you’re feeling bad, but I think it’s the opposite. I think it actually shows an incredible amount of courage and bravery,” she said.
“It takes a lot of strength to be able to open up and admit that you feel bad and that you might need help, and that’s just the first step to making your life better, so everyone should give it a try, even if it’s falling apart. some inappropriate jokes.
More information, including ticket availability, for the “We’re All Doomed!” comedy tour can be found here.
