PaperdaisySenior Contributor
Movember and Men's mental health
Raising awareness of men’s mental health on the SANE Forums
The month of November is for Movember, and we will be discussing and raising awareness of men’s mental health issues here on the forums.
Movember started in 2003 in Melbourne and has since become an international event and a positive symbol of men’s health. Movember has funded more than 1,250 projects worldwide and include programs that strengthen social connectivity, parenting programs, youth programs, practical tools to support conversations with men and an evidence-based training course to upskill health professionals on treating male clients.
According to the Movember website ‘The world loses a man to suicide every minute of every day’. That’s an alarming statistic and one the Movember foundation is determined to change. We know that by improving overall mental health and social connections of men, we can help improve this statistic.
MensLines Australia tell us that mental health issues amongst men and women are about the same, however in Australia, only 40% of men are accessing mental health services and are more likely to use coping strategies that can impact health and wellbeing such as drugs and alcohol, withdrawal and suicide.
Men’s mental health has come a long way, but we still have a long way to go so let’s celebrate our men and have the conversations we need to have so men can live longer and happier lives.
Movember supports ALL men and recently funded the Stop. Think. Respect campaign aimed to reduce anxiety and depression within LGBTQIA+ communities. We love that! Unfortunately, trans men are exposed to discrimination that negatively impacts their mental health and wellbeing. One study by beyond blue found that trans people experience very high levels of depression and anxiety and members of the LGBTQIA+ community are four times more likely to attempt suicide.
SANE too wants to support ALL men so please know this space does just that, however we will also be having a discussion supporting trans men in an additional thread, so look out for that too.
How will we be marking Movember on the SANE Forums?
This discussion will be open for the month of November, with a new question every Monday. We will be sharing some insights and hopefully learning from our fellow forumites. Peer support is such a key component of looking after men’s mental health, so the more the merrier!
You can get involved by:
- Making a post in response to each question
- Supporting posts made by other members
- Reading along
- Sharing your experiences and resources
Here are some SANE resources to get you started
Challenging stereotypes of masculinity
Talking about men's mental health
Check back in each Monday for a question! If you would like to be tagged when each new question is posted, click the "support" button on this post and we will make sure to notify you.
Open and honest discussions are really important, and we are committed to making this discussion a safe space for all people to share their experiences, thoughts and ideas. To keep this space safe and respect the experiences of our community, we ask that all members refresh their understanding of the community guidelines in advance so that we can make this discussion inclusive and welcoming.
If you have any questions about this month-long discussion, you are welcome to email the forums team at team@saneforums.org
