International Men’s Health Week
International Men's Health Week is celebrated each year in mid-June to raise awareness of men's health issues and highlight the needs and challenges faced by men. As a biased male psychologist, I am naturally going to focus on men's mental health.
Many men are brought up associating emotions with weakness and stoicism with strength. "Walk it off." "Eat some concrete." "Harden up." "I'll give you something to cry about." Men are expected to be the rocks that stand defiantly against the storm, no matter what. In Australia, this can be amplified by the image of the self-reliant bloke who is capable, dependable, and able to handle whatever is thrown at him.
Despite resilience and perseverance, the idea that a man should always cope on his own comes at a cost. Asking for help is often considered by the person as a weakness, when in reality it is often one of the hardest and most important things a person can do.
Australian statistics consistently show men are significantly less likely than women to seek professional help for mental health difficulties, despite the fact that most mental health difficulties are quite indifferent to what we've got between our legs. At the same time, suicide rates remain much higher among men than women.
The problem with "being strong" is that strength wears down. When men eventually reach the point where things are getting too hard, many feel shame, guilt, or a sense of failure for not being able to simply push through. But would we expect a machine to run forever without maintenance? Or the rock not to be eroded by water?
I bet that "I'm just tired" is a phrase heard every day in GP clinics across Australia. Sure, sometimes it is tiredness. Other times it is stress, loneliness, trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, or exhaustion that has gone unnamed for too long.
Sometimes the real strength is recognising when the load has become too heavy, and to have the courage to ask for help. If you, or a man in your life is having a rough time, encourage them to seek help. The GP is a great first step, and they usually know what we are really talking about when we tell them, “things have been a bit hard lately”.
For more information and ways you can show your support, head to: https://www.menshealthweekevents.com/
Our team at Minding Family Townsville would be happy to provide further support to you or a loved one to assist with managing stress, anxiety, depression, or other concerns relating to mental health and wellbeing. Please contact us on 47 238 221 to discuss pathways for referral.