Tag: male mental health

18 September 2023
male mental health • mental health • movember • stress •

Movember and Male Mental Health: Now is the time to act.

Movember is the annual reminder that men’s health – or more accurately, discussion around how men manage their health – is something that still needs prompting, especially with regards to mental health. 

As we navigate an era of uncertainty, a phrase that has perhaps defines our current pressures is “the cost-of-living-crisis”.  This inescapable phrase and its day-to-day reality are having a very real impact on mental health, and there is an urgent need to discuss the decisions that men are making in the face of these economic pressures.

While the cost-of-living crisis affects us all, for many men there is an added layer around perceived gender roles that is feeding heightened levels of stress, anxiety and depression. The traditional male breadwinner image, although less often spoken about explicitly, is still a potent force that shapes behaviours.  For many men, accomplishment as an individual is often tied to monetary success and providing for others[i]. The cost-of-living crisis and wider economic downturn has reduced job and financial security, in turn undermining individual sense of worth and detrimentally impacted male mental health. 

Men in general are less likely than women to ask for help with their mental health[ii] and this pattern is repeated in the face of financial stress and the anxieties they provoke[iii], with many men choosing instead to “tough-out” the financial challenges they are face.  This is dangerous tactic as male mental health stats attest:

  • 40% of men have never spoken to someone about their mental health[iv]
  • 1 in 8 men suffer from depression or anxiety at any given time[v]
  • ¾ of suicides in the UK are male[vi]

Compounding this are the coping strategies that can define male response to mental health issues.  Men make up only 36% of those who seek professional support, choosing instead to manage alone.  This is problematic and can lead to destructive habits such as alcohol and drug abuse, both of which are much higher in men than women[vii].

In addition, hybrid working has led to reduced levels of professional interaction.  People who experience heightened levels of isolation and loneliness suffer higher levers of stress, anxiety and depression[viii], and this is just adding to the mental burden that many men are facing, often without the tools to cope.

It is therefore essential that we use this month to change the narrative around male mental health. Organisations have a duty of care for their workforce and the issue of supporting men in the face of mental health issues needs to be central to that.  Movember is the perfect opportunity to highlight these issues and provide options to support male staff, facilitate conversations around mental health and even help manage issues before they become crises.

At Wellbeing Partners, we offer group wellbeing workshops including ‘Men’s Mental Health’, ‘Taming the Tiger: Resilience for Men’, ‘Mindfulness for Men’ and ‘From Anxious to Calm’, as well as one-to-one counselling and wellbeing sessions that can help men talk about and manage their mental health.

[i] https://www.psychologytoday.com

[ii] [iii] https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/

[iv] https://www.priorygroup.com/

[v] https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/

[vi] https://www.ons.gov.uk/

[vii] https://www.menshealthforum.org.uk/

[viii] https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/

Getting Started

8 October 2016
male employees • male health • male mental health • males in the workplace • men at work • men in the workplace • Men's health • men's health at work • men's health in the workplace •

Men’s Health In The Workplace

The statistics around men’s health are very worrying indeed. Men have far, far higher levels of physical and mental health problems than women, and yet men’s understanding of health issues and levels of access to health services are astonishingly low.

Some of the incredible statistics around men’s health include:

  • Men are nearly 3 times more likely than women to become alcohol dependent
  • Men report significantly lower life satisfaction than women
  • Men have measurably lower access to the social support of friends, relatives and community
  • Men are far less likely to access health services
  • Men are more likely to be obese
  • Men are more likely to have complex physical health problems
  • Only one third of NHS psychological therapies users are men
  • Less than 20% of private counselling and psychotherapy clients are men
  • The peak age for stress-related mental health issues in men is 45-54 – far higher than other age groups
  • Over three quarters of people who kill themselves are men
  • Suicide is the biggest cause of death for men under 35
  • Men are more likely to use illegal drugs and die from them
  • Boys are performing less well than girls at all levels of education

As most men spend a majority of their time in the workplace, it is clear that more awareness of men’s health issues should be raised in the workplace, and that men’s health services should be made more available at work.

Men’s Health in the Workplace is our programme of physical and mental health awareness, prevention and remedy services for men’s health issues, delivered with knowledge, care and sensitivity to men of all ages and stages, in their workplace.

Our Men’s Health Awareness Workshop is the perfect way to introduce awareness and discussion of mental and physical health to the men in your workplace.  The workshop is presented by our Men’s Health Specialist, Peter Baker, who has over 20 years experience in training, public speaking, policy, strategy and service development, advocacy and lobbying, research and analysis, social marketing, equality and diversity.

As well as our Men’s Health Awareness Workshops for the men in your workplace, we can also provide men’s MOT health checks, improving mental health and resilience workshops, confidential one-to-one counselling sessions, nutrition workshops and individual sessions, physiotherapy workshops and individual sessions, yoga and pilates classes, and massage – all in your workplace.

If you’d like to start a conversation around men’s health in your workplace, or to book a Men’s Health Awareness Workshop or any other of our wellbeing services, please contact Nick Winfield at [email protected] or call 07773 767248.

www.mindfulnessintheworkplace.org

 

 

 

 

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