Movember - Men’s Mental Health
Hi everyone! Welcome back to the Center Street Psychology blog. If you haven’t been here before, check out some of our past blogs on topics such as attachment theory, grief during the holidays, and mental health support for veterans and active-duty first responders. With the end of November only a few days away, it seems like a fitting time to acknowledge Movember and highlight some information about men’s mental health.
There are several reasons why it’s meaningful to acknowledge men’s mental health. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, 1 out of 10 Canadian men and 1 in 4 Canadian men aged 40 will experience challenges with mental health. According to Stats Canada, men are about three times as likely to have substance use disorders compared to women. Stats Canada has also published consistent findings that men account for about 75% of deaths by suicide, meaning approximately 50 men a week die by suicide. These numbers are alarming. Many other factors contribute to these facts, for example, lower rates of high school graduation and university attendance.
There is also a social component to why having discussions about men’s mental health is crucial. Historically, men have been taught to suppress their emotions because being vulnerable is a sign of weakness (the expression “man up” or “be strong” in emotional situations is detrimental). This suppression can lead to difficulty expressing oneself. Men have been socialized not to share when they are grieving, feeling sad, hurt, scared, disappointed, or lonely. Generally, it is more acceptable for men to be angry, unfortunately, those emotions mentioned end up being expressed as anger. Another alarming statistic is that men make up about 10% of patients with bulimia or anorexia, and men with disordered eating and body dysmorphia are less likely to seek help.
Mental health is a vital part of overall health and wellness and should be included in the Movember discussions about men’s health.
So what resources are there?
If you want to read a little more on the different factors that affect men’s mental health, this CBC article:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/opinion-men-mental-health-1.5871935
The Movember website has many helplines if men feel like they need someone to talk to: https://ca.movember.com/mens-health/get-support
You are not alone. Please reach out to us at Center Street Psychology, as we provide uniquely tailored therapeutic plans and interventions to support you and collaborate on your personal wellness goals. We are an inclusive clinic, located in Calgary, Alberta that provides in-person and virtual psychological services across Canada in the evenings and weekends. Please text or call 403-399-5120 to talk to our Director of Client Care, Amy, who will guide you through the intake process, as we are equipped to support men and their mental wellness.
Written by: Lindsay Mcnena
