Movember is one of the world’s leading charities supporting men’s health. They work in the areas of Mental Health & Suicide Prevention, Prostate Cancer, and Testicular Cancer. Since 2003, over 6 Million men have taken part in the annual “Movember” campaign. They participate by growing a moustache (let your creativity flow), during the month of November, in aid of the charity and its research. Since then, the Movember campaign has funded more than 1,250 health and research projects related to men’s health.
Worldwide, the statistics show that men die younger than women, on average 4.5 years younger than women. While men are, overall, politically more privileged, their health lags behind. This younger mortality is related to the main causes Movember dedicates itself to. They try to fund and support groundbreaking projects all over the world, to reach men globally.
Suicide in Men & Men’s Mental Health
The sad fact is that 3 in 4 suicides in Ireland are men. Movember works to take action in supporting men’s mental health at a local level. The sad thing about mental health is that it affects us all. Women tend to talk more than men. Learning to open up and talk, hearing shared experiences, and receiving the right care, are paramount to reducing these grim statistics in Ireland.
Tips for Starting the Conversation with a friend who is suffering mentally:
- Check in with yourself first. Are you in a good state of mind? Do you have time to listen?
- Find out if your friend is ready to talk.
- Choose a good place and time to talk. Make it in person rather than online. Don’t worry if it feels awkward at first. No one grows by not stepping out of their comfort zone. Allow yourself to feel uncomfortable if it means you can potentially save your mate’s life.
- Next, steady yourself and be prepared for a “no” answer when asking about your mate’s well-being.
- It helps to talk and to be heard. You don’t need to be a professional to take that first step and ask your mate how he is doing. Just be yourself. Just be a friend.
Men’s Physical Health & Cancer
Generally speaking, men need to ‘Man Up’ more when it comes to their health. We won’t be strong forever, and our general physical health needs daily support in order to stay strong. Even if you’re looking after yourself, you still need to get tests, regular check-ups, and even check yourself for possible signs of ill health.
If you’re age 50 and over, make sure to talk to your doctor about prostate cancer. If appropriate, request a PSA test.
Get familiar with your ‘nuts’. Regularly check them to understand what’s normal for you, so you can easily spot any changes
One of the most fundamental ways Movember supports men worldwide is by reaching out to them with the facts about their health and with mechanisms to change their behaviour for the better. To achieve their goals, they build strong partnerships across the globe with varying governments and create communities and groups to educate and support men on the ground.
Support Movember by joining the GymPlus campaign here.
If you or anyone close to you is affected by anything written in this article, contact Pieta House on 1800 247 247 or Samaritans on 116 123. You can also contact your local emergency services on 999 if you’re worried someone is in immediate danger.
