Did you know that men between 40 and 49 have the highest suicide rates in the UK? We surveyed over 1,000 of you on our Survey Draw and found that men are much less likely to talk about their problems. Read on to find out more…

Men’s Health Week (13-19 June) is here and this year’s theme is ‘Building Healthy Environments for Men and Boys’, with a focus on creating a safe and welcoming environment for men’s physical and mental health.

Designed by Men’s Health Network, representatives from six leading men’s health organisations, from across the world, met at the second World Congress on Men’s Health in Vienna, Austria in 2002, and together created International Men’s Health Week.

The goal of this week is to raise awareness of male health issues and to encourage institutions to develop health policies and services that meet the specific needs of men.

With this in mind, it is important for all men across the world to check-in on themselves and work on their physical and mental health.

Men’s Mental Health Week was designed to encourage men to take precaution and act on preventable illnesses, with one in five men dying before the age of 65 in the UK, as noted by Mens Health Forum.

In England, one in eight men suffer with a common mental health disorder, such as depression, anxiety or OCD, according to Mental Health.

Only 36% of all talking therapies on the NHS are for men, which is not high enough considering three times more men than women die from suicide every year in the UK.

We used our other site, Find Out Now, to ask Pick My Postcode users ‘when you feel anxious, and/or down, do you talk about it with family or friends, or keep it to yourself?’

Here’s what we found: 

• 3 times more men (21%), compared to women (7%), claim to not feel down or anxious.
• Of the remaining respondents, 42% of men say they never talk about it, compared to 27% of the remaining women.
• More than twice as many women ‘always talk about it’ compared to men.

Tips for improving men’s mental health:

• Get out and try active activity

Exercise is key when it comes to mental health. Studies have proven that even just a short but brisk 10-minute walk in the day can boost your mood and improve your mental alertness.

• Manage your money

Financial instability and debt is one of the biggest causes of stress. Remember that you are not alone and people are out there to help you with your monetary problems. If you are struggling financially, consider contacting a financial adviser.

• Understand that it’s OK not to be OK

Never suffer in silence, it’s vital to seek help and support whenever you are struggling. If you are suffering mentally consider talking to your GP for some assistance and try some talkative therapies to get yourself back. If you are worried about something physically, don’t wait for it to get worse or ‘go away on its own’, seek help from a doctor. People are there to help you.

• Prioritise relationships

Whether it’s scheduling out time to spend with a loved one or a mate, maintaining your social life is important. Life isn’t designed to be centred around work, go out, have fun and talk to people.

Family owned business, Bradfords Building Supplies will be donating £10,000 to Movember, when their video reaches 50k views. Please give it a watch and help support all men and your mates.

Now is the time to check in on your friends and look after yourself.

–

Featured image: Jenny Hill, Unsplash