Comedian Mark Black is urging members of the public to open up on their mental health struggles as he celebrates a year of going sober.

The Glaswegian, who is the brother of fellow comic Paul Black, discussed his own battle with addiction and how going to meetings has helped him.

He’ll now co-host a live podcast at Finnieston Clothing on Pollokshaws Road on Saturday, November 16. During that, he will invite members of the public to share their own struggles while discussing his own.

Black, who is joined by Finneston Clothing’s founder Ross Geddes for the podcast, admits that people are far more open to joking about serious issues rather than talking about it and wants that to change.

He said: “I’ve gone from drug addict to mental health advocate in a year – I hope that shows others what’s possible. Throughout my experience, I’ve found it really helps to talk to other people. It’s helped me come to the realisation that I am not alone – others are struggling too.

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“Going to meetings has helped turn my life around but that’s a big step and maybe people aren’t at that stage. But I think in today’s environment, everyone needs to talk but it’s not normal. We hope events like this can normalise it.  Guys, especially, feel far more comfortable just joking around – and you need that, but that can’t be all there is.” 

The podcast is dubbed ‘Changemakers’ and Black will speak to Geddes about his own personal journey of managing social anxiety with alcohol, struggling with ADHD and taking a holistic approach to mental health.

He said: “We all struggle in some ways. Nobody’s got it all figured out. My hope for this night is that we can laugh, learn, and understand ourselves a little more. People feel lost, they don’t know what to do. There is no obvious cure for a lot of these things. 

“Talking alone helps, but it also helps you discover new ways to manage your symptoms, or how you’re feeling; whether that’s healthy habits, breathwork, or the role of food. 

“Creating positive change around mental health is a big part of our mission at Finnieston. We hope this event will kickstart a dialogue, making it easier to share, if they feel comfortable,  learn and create lasting change in themselves and others.”

Finnieston Clothing, which launched in 2020, creates sustainable, hard wearing workwear. Last year, the brand pledged that profits from its collections would go towards promoting and aiding mental, physical, and environmental health in Scotland and beyond. 

All profits from this event will go to Enter, a charity dedicated to providing holistic therapies to individuals in need, helping them find alternative routes to healing and wellness. Ross Geddes is one of Enter’s trustees.

To buy tickets to the Changemakers live podcast recording at Finnieston Clothing’s Pollokshaws Road branch on Saturday 16 November, visit https://finniestonclothing.com/pages/change-makers.