Why men’s mental health still needs our attention

When I hear about men in my life struggling with their mental health, I always ask myself the same kind of questions. How could I not have known? How could I have missed the signs? And when I hear of the men in my life taking their own life, the aftermath is always devastating. The people closest to them wonder if there was anything they could have done differently to change such an outcome. The confusion, guilt, and sorrow are passed on from one person to another in an instant.

Campaigns like Movember have raised over £598 million and have funded over 1,250 men’s health projects globally

November is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s as much of a time for us to celebrate the victories we’ve had in confronting mental health issues as it is a time to reflect on how much work still lies ahead. As a society, we’ve begun the long-overdue process of dismantling the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. We’re finally acknowledging that, like with physical injuries, there’s no strength in ignoring and persevering through mental health issues as if they’re untreatable or are any less real.

Campaigns like Movember have raised over £598 million and have funded over 1,250 men’s health projects globally. Long-term plans from the NHS indicate their ambition to increase funding for mental health at a faster rate than the overall NHS budget. The NHS has pledged to allocate at least £2.3 billion a year to support mental health and to expand its services to students and those under 25.

Society has falsely allowed men’s silence regarding their mental health to be seen as a virtue

Despite the progress we’ve made, suicide remains the leading cause of death for men under 50. The World Health Organisation states over 700,000 people take their own lives each year – the equivalent of one person every 40 seconds. In the UK, approximately 75% of those suicides are by men. Among university-aged students, studies show that 1 in 5 men experience mental health issues, yet many are reluctant to seek help.

Of the many studies concerning men’s mental health, some of the most notable reasons for not talking about it are that men have learned to cope with their mental health without seeking support. Another common reason is that men don’t want to be a burden to a friend or even to a therapist.

The fact that we allow people to feel this way about their mental health is appalling. Society has falsely allowed men’s silence regarding their mental health to be seen as a virtue. We gain nothing by ascribing virtue to internalising deadly mental health issues. It’s clear, that by keeping quiet, we allow poor mental health to be a silent killer that runs rampant among young men. This November, let’s set about changing that.

As we observe Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, we should reflect on the victories and ongoing battles but also do something to continue their success

There’s still an urgent need for awareness and support regarding men’s mental health, and the university can play a crucial role in providing this. The Wellbeing and Student Support Services are based in the Senate House, and they’re easy to reach both in person and online. In my experience, brief consultancy and therapy can be arranged efficiently and they have a wide range of services available to specifically prioritise the mental wellbeing of students. They’re equipped to provide support for more serious issues but equally willing to help with smaller concerns and enquiries. Many resources are also available on their website to facilitate students’ engagement with external support services.

There’s also a lot we can do as a student body to create meaningful change through a culture of open dialogue. While many campaigns and workshops are run to bring awareness to mental health, its importance should become part of our everyday conversation. By addressing mental health openly, we can make the conversation surrounding it a lot less isolating and intimidating.

So, as we observe Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, we should reflect on the victories and ongoing battles but also do something to continue their success. The statistics remind us of the urgent need for change, the conversations we must have, and the support we must provide. We should strive to break the silence and isolation that prevents us from supporting one another. This way, we can build a future where men won’t have to suffer alone, and we can begin to break the cycle to create a better future for all.