Mental Health Awareness Month 2022
Mental Health Awareness Month events and activities are coordinated by the Mental Health Coalition of South Australia and aim to encourage all South Australians to consider their own mental health and the mental health of everyone in their community.
In 2022, events will be held from 1 to 31 October. Communities throughout metropolitan and rural South Australia will celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month. Most of the activities held during Mental Health Awareness Month are free to attend and help communities connect to spread the word that mental health is relevant to everyone.
Mens Mental Health Awareness
Did you know that June is Mens Mental Health Awareness Month? It is, and if that information comes as news to you, it is not necessarily surprising. Often, men are reluctant to discuss mental health issues, let alone their own struggles. With that in mind, we wanted to share with you six quick facts about mens mental health.
Fact 1: Over 6 million men suffer from depression per year. Male depression often goes undiagnosed, with men more likely to report fatigue, irritability, and loss of interest in work or hobbies rather than feelings of sadness or worthlessness.
Fact 2: Approximately 3.5 million people in the US are diagnosed with Schizophrenia, which is one of the leading causes of disability. 90% of people diagnosed with Schizophrenia by age 30 are men.
Fact 3: Males account for an estimated 10% of patients with anorexia or bulimia and 35% of patients with binge-eating disorders while at the same time, men with eating disorders are less likely to seek professional help than women.
Fact 4: More than 4-times as many men as women die by suicide in the United States. Annually roughly 75% of deaths by suicide are men.
Fact 5: Approximately 1 in 5 men develop alcohol dependency.
Fact 6: Men are less likely than women to seek help for depression, substance abuse, and stressful live events due to social norms, reluctance to talk, and downplaying symptoms.
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How The Male Mental Health Stigma Affects Treatment
Men who struggle with mental health issues such as depression or substance use disorders are less likely to seek treatment. According to Mental Health America, men dont seek treatment due to the social norms going against them doing so. Men also dont seek treatment because they want to downplay their symptoms. Men are also often reluctant to talk to someone.
The stigma between men vs. women mental health issues results in only 1 in 4 men seeking professional help, while as many as 1 in 3 men take medications for depression or anxiety.
How Mental Health Affects Different Groups
Another aspect of mental health in males that we must recognize is that it affects different demographics of men differently. According to the former CEO of the American Psychological Association, black men and Latino men are 6 times more likely to be murdered than their white peers. American Indian men are most likely to commit suicide, and black men are most likely to be incarcerated. Statistics like this contribute to the extra barrier that men of color have to overcome when addressing mental health.
Professor Norman Bruce Anderson says, add the stigmatization of help-seeking behavior by men of all races to the unique stressors faced by men and boys of color, and its no wonder men and boys of color are at a higher risk for isolation and mental health problems. These challenges can manifest as substance abuse or acting out through violence and aggression which can lead to more stigma and a continuation of the cycle.
The bottom line is, because of the expectation that society places on men to be strong and masculine, most men do not feel comfortable seeking mental health assistance. The National Institute of Health says we must start disrupting how men traditionally think about depression and suicide by breaking down the stigma that surrounds these topics. NIH also emphasizes the importance of teaching that seeking help isnt a sign of weakness.
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Examples Of Some Of The Promises You Can Make
- Let my kids know that it is OK for them to talk about their feelings
- Check in with my workmates to make sure they are alright
- Talk to my mates and let them know that I am here to listen
- If I am not feeling well, I will tell my family and close friends that I need support
- Be more open about my experiences.
World Mental Health Day is also the start of Mental Health Week in Australia. There are events taking place across the country, take a look to see if there is something near you:
Put On A Mental Health Fair
During Mens Mental Health Month in June, a mental health fair can be a great way to bring mens mental health to the forefront. Putting on a mental health fair for your employees can be a fun and educational experience.
You can invite vendors who provide wellness services specifically for men to a mens mental health fair. Make sure that the decorations keep up with the theme.
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Movember: Its Mens Health Awareness Month And Heres What Employers Should Be Doing
Canva The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews.Paula Allen
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
Theres no getting away from the facts: mens mental health is in need of a rethink. While conversations around mental health from the workplace to professional sport are gathering momentum, far more acceptance and support is needed if we are to tackle the ongoing mental health epidemic.
This month, millions will be raised worldwide as moustaches are grown for Movember. Yet despite these efforts, men are still struggling to open up about their mental health.
Recent research from Mind, a UK mental health charity, also shows that the workplace is an important factor. According to their research, men are twice as likely to have mental health problems arising their job, compared to issues outside of work.
Any approach to mental health thats going to work must be adapted to the audience one size doesnt fit all but too often, pride, culture, and stigma can prevent men finding the help they need.
How Can You Address Mental Health During Mens Health Month
While the focus of Mens Health Month is on physical health, theres no reason you cant apply the same tactics to addressing mental health. A few ways you can encourage the men in your life to focus on health this June include:
- Get him to the doctor for a routine physical
- Encourage a form of exercise
- Tell him how much you care
Unsurprisingly, these same methods can apply to mental health. In addition to a routine physical, you could help him seek professional help or find local mental health treatment. Exercising can greatly help mental health, so while also helping improving physical health, you could improve mental health at the same time. Last but not least, showing and telling him how much you care can do wonders for both emotional and physical health. The first step is being there for the men in your life and offering any assistance you can.
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Men’s Mental Health Month
The goal of Movember is to “change the face of men’s health. From a mental health perspective Movember aims to increase awareness, diagnose and treat mental health issues as well as prevent suicide.
This is pertinent for this edition as it is November, for the last few years known as Movember.
Movember is an international foundation and the month when men grow moustaches to raise aware and funds to promote mens health.
The goal of Movember is to “change the face of men’s health. From a mental health perspective Movember aims to increase awareness, diagnose and treat mental health issues as well as prevent suicide.
The Q & A aims to answer the following frequently asked questions about mens mental health.
Q: Do men find it difficult to recognise that their health in general and mental health in particular is declining or deteriorating?
Traditionally men have found it difficult to firstly admit that something is not right and secondly to get help. The typical role of protector and provider is challenged through ill health and this may have accounted for the reluctance to seek help. With the help of media in general ad high profile public figures being open about their mental health challenges this is changing. So much so that almost 40% of my clients are men.
Q: What signs do they need to look out for?
Q: How can men recognise that they are more stressed?
Q: Overcoming the stigma – some high profile people have talked about their own experience with mental health issues.
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Treat It Like Any Other Issue
Treat a mental health issue like any other problem you might face like fixing a broken car part. By approaching it in a way that means asking for external help, youll find more meaningful ways to feel better.
Throughout the month of November, we will be running a challenge Mental Health Unmasked.
The Everymind at Work Mental Health Unmasked Challenge is designed to make everyone think about what they might be masking in relation to their mental health. It is a tool to aid self-reflection and examine how we present ourselves externally versus how we feel internally. The mask represents the persona you display to others, but this activity aims to help you uncover what it is you may be hidingwhat is truly behind the mask. It can be found here.
Mens Mental Health Month: Celebrate This Month By Creating Awareness In The Workplace
Home / Mens Mental Health Month: Celebrate This Month By Creating Awareness In The Workplace
Mental health is an important aspect of anyones well-being, and unfortunately, mens mental health issues are frequently ignored in society.
In the male population of the United States, there is a tragic meeting point of low rates of diagnosed depression and high rates of suicide and substance abuse.
There is significant inequality between men and women. According to the studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men lived five years less than women in 2016 due to mental health imbalance.
Due to different factors such as lifestyle, societal pressure, stress, and so on, men tend to neglect their mental health.
From an early age, men in our societies are pressured to be self-sufficient, strong, and successful. Those who express their feelings are often thought to be weak or unfit for a typical man.
As a result, many men experience mental health issues.
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Silvercloud Health Offers A Solution To Mens Mental Health Concerns
November is Mens Health Awareness Month with International Mens Day falling on November 19th. Mens Health Awareness Month is dedicated to bringing awareness to a wide range of mens health issues. As we focus on men this month, we cant ignore that men tend to be more reluctant to seek help or treatment for their mental health struggles .
In comparison to women, men are almost half as likely to report seeking professional help for their mental health concerns . Correspondingly, men consisted of approximately a third of the referrals to mental health services in the National Health System in England in 2019-2020. The lower rate of treatment use is particularly concerning considering that across the world men are almost twice as likely to die by suicide than women. This is exemplified by the public suicide of a man on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. this month, citing a lifelong struggle with depression and personal and career difficulties. It is clear that the mental health field is not doing enough to support mens mental health and there is a need to devote more efforts to preventing such deadly consequences.
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Mens Mental Health In Comparison To Women
Statistically, women receive more help for mental health and mental illness is more prevalent in women, but men are still more likely to attempt suicide. Men are also 2 to 3 times more likely to abuse drugs than women, and self-medicating to cope with mental illness is not uncommon at all. The organization also note that self-medicating with alcohol and other substances is a common symptom of depression among men and that this can exacerbate mental health problems and increase the risk of developing other health conditions. The NIMH also revealed that more often than not, men will go see a doctor for the physical symptoms of mental illness, but not the emotional symptoms.
Dont Wait If You Have Mental Health Concerns
Men may have a hard time admitting they need help or struggle with mental health, but they shouldnt let societal expectations or the perception of needing to seem strong stop them from getting the help they need.
There is certainly this mindset that a lot of men have that its complaining, its whining, also I dont want people to think that Im crazy, I can deal with this on my own theres a lot of those thoughts and belief systems that interfere with reaching out and seeking help, Dr. Nicholas Beck with Vive Greenville told Fox Carolina.
If you or someone you know is struggling, dont wait to seek the help you need.
Its important that guys realize that fighting depression is the same as fighting any other health issue and that seeing a doctor is a good first step, Joshua Beharry, mental health advocate and Project Coordinator of HeadsUpGuys, a British Columbia-based campaign to support men who have depression, in an email interview with TalkSpace. It may be a bit intimidating or stressful the first couple times but its wort h doing if youre unsure about your health or whats going on.
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