Movember is the month to raise awareness about male cancers and men’s health. However, mental health is a part of the men’s health conversation that often goes unspoken. Let’s add men’s mental health to the awareness raising power of Movember to empower men to share their stories and ask for help.
According to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), men are less likely to seek help for mental health challenges than women. At the same time, they make up a larger number of suicide deaths, with men accounting for four of every five deaths by suicide in Canada. Despite this, depression is diagnosed more often in women. This tells us that men’s distress is not being identified or discussed in the same way. One reason is that men’s symptoms often look different. While women may report sadness or tearfulness, men are more likely to experience depression as anger, emotional shutdown, withdrawal, risk-taking, or overworking.
Another reason is that men face barriers to seeking support that arise from social expectations about masculinity that can discourage them from asking for help. The result is that many men:
- Feel they should “handle it alone”
- Worry that talking about emotions signals weakness
- Experience cultural pressure to appear strong or unaffected
- Have a lack of models for vulnerability or emotional expression
There is good news: therapy helps. It offers a private, judgment-free space to talk honestly and break down barriers. When men find a therapist they can connect with, they can understand their stress responses, manage anger, strengthen relationships, and build tools for coping.
Gentlemen! Here’s the message: seeking mental health support is not a sign of weakness. It is an act of self-respect and prevention that will help you care for yourself and those you love. This Movember, let’s normalize mental health talk for men and move away from shame and judgement to prioritize safety and support.
Source: https://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/48856.html
