Mental health issues do not discriminate, and they can impact people of all ages, sexes, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. This is why looking after mental health is just as important for men as it is for anyone else. In Australia, one in eight men will experience depression and one in five will experience anxiety at some point in their life. Sadly, 75% of men die from suicide in Australia, which is said to be nearly double the national road toll! Every year, during ‘MOvemeber’ in November we acknowledge and raise awareness for men’s health issues in Australia and around the world by participating in Movember. The aim of Movember is to raise money and knowledge to help tackle men’s health issues such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide… while some grow a pretty cool Mo to participate and raise awareness.
Sometimes men find it harder to speak out about problems, especially when it comes to mental health, and often can go unnoticed until it’s too late. Often men think they are weak or can be a burden if they express their hardships, even if they are going through a difficult time. However, many men do agree that just having someone there to speak to helps them a lot during these struggles. So, what can we do as a community to help during Movember, or any other time of the year? Based on the Movember Australia official website, it suggests five simple steps that we can do to help someone out - Talk, Ask, Listen, Encourage Action, and Check In. Below we have described ways in which you can do this.
Talk: Start a conversation with someone and let them feel they can trust you.
Ask: Ask them how they are, what they have been doing, what they are planning to do, how their day/week has been, and if anything new has happened lately.
Listen: After you ask, make sure you really listen. Let them know that you are interested in what they are saying and that you care.
Encourage Action: If they do disclose some difficulties, encourage them to speak to you if they feel comfortable. If it’s something serious, encourage them to speak with a health professional to help them tackle these issues.
Check in: This final step is very important as it allows you to see if there has been any change, positive or negative, but also, it lets the person know you are there for them, and that way they can come to you if needed.
If you are someone struggling from low mood and overwhelmed about things in life, you can try doing these five things to help improve your wellbeing:
Talk: Have a conversation with someone you trust, especially if you’re going through a hard time. Externalising thoughts and emotions is better than internalising for a long time.
Move: Do some exercise - it does great things for the body and mind. Whether it’s a gym workout or if it’s a nice day, even going for a walk with a friend is helpful. Killing two birds with one stone - talking and moving!
Have a break: Don’t be so hard on yourself if you can’t fix all the problems right away. Give yourself time to relax and practice some self-care.
Get out: Similar to the first two points - get out of the house and do things! Have a coffee with a friend, go for a walk with your dog, go see a movie in the cinemas, or do any activity you enjoy… even if it may be hard to motivate yourself at this point.
Seek professional support: If you think you have tried everything and nothing is working, seek help from a professional. Visit your GP and ask them for advice on what’s best. Don’t be afraid to seek support - this is something health professionals deal with daily!
At Melbourne Wellbeing Group, we ensure all our clients receive the support they need. We want to remove the stigma of mental health and increase mental wellbeing and quality of life. If you believe you or a loved one need support, then give us a call to make an appointment with one of our Psychologists.
Please note - some information is taken from Movember Australia