MENtal Health Awareness Month
A survey by Priory Group of 1,000 men in the UK found that 77% of those polled have suffered from common mental health symptoms like anxiety, stress or depression.
Additionally, two-fifths of respondents hadn’t spoken to anyone about their mental health.
November marks Men’s Health Awareness Month, and International Men’s Day falls on the 19th of November. Both aim to shed light on the health issues that men face.
One of the biggest health concerns with men is their mental health. According to ONS, three-quarters of registered suicide deaths in the UK in 2021 were men.
This statistic is consistent with long-term trends, with suicide being the largest cause of death for men under 50.
Dr Alex Cotton MBE set up It Takes Balls to Talk in 2015 with the aim of using sporting themes to encourage people, particularly men, to talk about how they feel.
She said, “We have to educate and encourage men to speak out, emotions are a strength, not a weakness. It’s when we don’t speak about them that they become a weakness”
“The biggest lie told up and down the UK is when people say they’re fine, so not only do we need to teach men but we also need to teach those who care about men how to check in”, she added.
Relationship, Health and Sex Education (RSHE) as a subject, became compulsory in September 2020 in both primary and secondary schools. Government guidance suggests that in secondary schools, pupils should be taught about the importance of mental wellbeing, how to talk about their feelings and where to seek help.
Jake Lawrence went to an all boys secondary school from 2014 - 2019 where he says mental health wasn’t discussed at all, ”We were scheduled to have PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) in tutor once a week but it never really happened so we weren’t taught how to take care of ourselves mentally”.
The 20-year-old said, “Men’s mental health is important because we’re told to just man up when we have a problem, but after something happens everyone wonders why we didn’t say anything”.
Image Credit: Time To Talk
National Wellbeing Hub have posted four tips on how to help the men in your life discuss their mental health more easily:
Lead by example: Discuss your mental health openly so that it’s common and healthy
Know the signs: Symptoms to look out for include loss of energy, irritability, social isolation and a lack of interest in hobbies
Ask and ask again: Some people feel reluctant to show vulnerability or talk about their feelings, asking again shows that you care
Suggest an activity: Instead of a sit-down chat which may seem intimidating, suggest outdoor activities that will make them feel more comfortable
This Men’s Health Awareness month, look out for the men in your life by paying attention to symptoms and creating a safe space to discuss mental health.
If you’ve been affected by these issues, here are some websites that can help:
YoungMinds: UK based charity fighting for young people's mental health.
Mind: provides advice and support to those experiencing mental health issues