Social media drives mental health message

Back then, he knew he wanted to reach more people and help them in a big way, but he wasn't sure how.

Just two months later he figured it out and his podcast on the topic, which he started with his best mate Josh Brown, has hit the number one ranking in health and fitness in Australia.

Bloke to Bloke first hit the airwaves on July 18 and now has more than 20 episodes, covering a broad range of topics all relating to mental health.

Mr Robinson said the whole basis of the podcast was to shine a light on topics that weren't talked about enough and that people usually shy away from.

"It's not only untouched topics in general, but particularly untouched topics for men and even more so for young men," Mr Robinson said.

"The fact that we can talk so freely about our emotions is something that is difficult for a lot of people to do, no matter their age or gender, so we hope that by having two young men in their early 20s opening up, that they might feel inspired or motivated to do the same.

"I'm not proud of a lot of the things that I've done, but I don't regret any of it because it's all a learning curve and there is a positive in every negative and hopefully by voicing that, other people can also learn from me."

With episodes on tackling life's pressures, dealing with failure, staying motivated, facing your insecurities, respecting other people's opinions and managing your mental health, Bloke to Bloke has a topic for everyone which is reflected in the diverse range of people listening.

While the majority of people tuning in are young men aged 15 to 22, the podcast also has a good spread of listeners, both male and female, all the way up to those in their 60s and 70s.

Mr Robinson said they were flooded every day with messages from people saying thank you, whether that be for helping them realise things they could work on or because it's made them feel more comfortable to open up.

"A lot of it seems to be motivation for people to improve their own headspace, be honest about how they're feeling and opening their eyes up to the fact that maybe everyone needs a little help," he said.

"Some of the messages we get are really full on and managing that is definitely something I need to work on.

"When you have people messaging saying they were contemplating suicide but then listened to the podcast and it saved them, well that is why we're doing it but it's a lot and you do feel a weight on your shoulders."

While the podcast is still in its infancy, it's already topping charts and as well as making it to number one on Spotify in the health and fitness category, some individual episodes have made it into the top 10 overall.

"All the people in the top ranking in the health and fitness category are professionals in their fields, they're doctors or psychologists, meanwhile you've got a couple of blokes in their young 20s just chatting about their own lives and their own mental health," Mr Robinson said.

"It's a prime example that it's becoming a more frequent conversation, that there is a change happening and that it's becoming more acceptable to talk about."

With that in mind, the duo are hoping to take the podcast full-time and while making the transition into generating income from it will be difficult, it's a challenge that's worth the time to get the mental health message out there.

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