SO, it’s that time of year again when men
all around us start sprouting unexpected facial hair. Boyfriends, colleagues,
and men that we pass everyday suddenly start developing suspicious looking
orange, ginger and bushy moustaches.
I remember when I first started seeing
photo diaries of guys I went to school with pop up on Facebook - What is this silly fad? I used to ask myself. Another social craze
that seemed to appear from nowhere that I just did not get, like 'planking' or ‘owling’.
Shamefully, I never really took the time to
really understand it until now. I think I used to just close the page, tell the
guys at work to stop being so macho-competitive and roll my eyes. I read an
article the other day, which bought it all very much home to me. So while men are twisting the edges of their
handlebars and taking ‘selfies’ before work, I began to take a good look at the actual work that they are doing and the great causes they are in fact, raising money for...
Movember is when men take the whole of November to grow moustaches with the idea of growing 'awareness' of mens health problems. Participants gain sponsorship
for the charities that perhaps usually go less thought about by men, through the growth and maintenance of some (at times) very unusual facial hair! I get it
– the moustaches prompt conversations and raise awareness. Questions in many
women’s heads like What the Hell? are
finally answered.
As a mental health nurse I recognise that
men are less likely to openly discuss how they are feeling and are more
reluctant to seek help from others when they need it. It is no secret that so
much stigma still surrounds mental health for instance and what a perfect way to laugh in
the face of it, take it on full throttle!
So
what are the facts?
Over the last 30 years up to four times
more men have committed suicide compared to women and in turn have raised questions
as to how this is happening and how the psychological needs of men are not
being met earlier.
It is believed that men are less likely to
seek help, which in turn leads to higher levels of isolation. Men also more
likely to manifest their symptoms through destructive behaviours and are typically
more likely to end up in the criminal justice system. Due to the way that men
are more likely to display their symptoms it may explain why the public are
perhaps more stand-offish to the understanding and needs of male mental health
sufferers. Men make up 90% of rough sleepers and 94% of the prison population.
The National Office for statistics found
that the highest rate of suicides in 2011 were acted out by men between aged
30-44.
What can be done?
So by raising awareness we might be able to
do something to help men suffering with depression and help them to back on to
the road of recovery. According to MIND, Depression is now thought to affect 1
in 4 people. It is nothing to be ashamed of and if we all start talking about
it and thinking of ways we can help it we can together make a real difference.
Some recommendations to help combat
depression are consulting a professional, everything is private and
confidential and they will be able to advise you with how to help recover from
depression. Sometimes just having someone independent can help to alleviate a lot
of the fears surrounding depression. Talking out loud about it can be a real
relief.
To find out other effective ways in which
depression can helped to be combatted refer to Mind’s website.
Has Movember helped awareness?
Research which has examined the impact that
awareness and education programmes such as Movember are having showed that 69%
of men went for a check up at their doctors, 79% discussed their health with
others and 43% became more aware of the health risks that they face.
So I take my
hat off to all the men who are having it in the ear from their girlfriends, men
who perhaps have to face the social taunts from mates if their only sprouting
wispy hairs. I get it – men are allowing their inhibitions wild, laughing,
talking and more importantly raising money and awareness for these wonderful
causes.
 |
| Jonnie Lunn- Psychiatric Nurse took on the Movember challenge last year. Impressive Jonnie! |
References:
Department of the
Environment, Transport and the Regions. Rough sleeping, the government
strategy. London: Rough Sleepers Unit 1999. – See more at: http://www.menshealthforum.org.uk/22612-men-and-mental-health-stats
Ministry of Justice. Population in custody:
Monthly tables, March 2009. England and Wales. London: Ministry of Justice
2009.
Office for National Statistics. Suicides in
the United Kingdom, 2011. ONS 2013.
