Male Health : Breaking down the Stigma

Male Health : Breaking down the Stigma

November marks International Men’s Day and Movember, two important events designed to celebrate the positive value men bring to the world and promote conversations around male health, wellbeing and masculinity.

They provide businesses with a great opportunity to raise awareness around the importance of employee wellbeing and break down the stigma that unfortunately still surrounds many health issues, including mental health.  

For when it comes to the subject of health, statistics show that men are falling behind women. Across the globe, men die on average four to five years earlier than women and one in five men in the UK will die before the age of 65.

A combination of fear, embarrassment and harmful gender stereotypes that suggest men should be “strong” and “soldier on” means men are more likely to put off seeking medical help than women. A recent study showed three quarters of men had not gone to the doctor even if they had symptoms of a specific illness and 84% had not consulted a doctor about an injury. But this failure to address symptoms and seek medical help means men are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and heart disease than women.

Unfortunately, the picture is not any better when it comes to mental health. Despite a huge push to normalise mental health issues and encourage people to open up, 40% of men have never spoken to anyone about their mental health and 29% say they are “too embarrassed” to do so. This inability to talk about mental health and seek professional help means suicide is now the biggest killer of men under 50.

It's clear that more must be done to encourage men to seek help and for employers that means not only raising awareness of the importance of wellbeing but putting in place the right culture, tools and resources to help build happier, healthier workforces.

JourneyHR spoke to three of its brilliant male team members, Mark McKenna, Commercial Operations Manager; Tyler Polius, HR Consultant; and George Nolan, HR Consultant, around the issues of male health, mental wellbeing and what more workplaces should be doing to help men tackle these issues head on.

Is there still a stigma around discussing mental health in the workplace?

Mark McKenna: Unfortunately, there is still a stigma around mental health in the workplace, although not at JourneyHR! I think it’s improving in bigger cities like London that are multi-cultural and very open minded to change. However, as someone from a small town that has experienced a lot of issues with mental health including suicide, I know in the smaller communities it’s very prevalent. Where I grew up, men are expected to be “strong” and “get on with things” no matter how much they are suffering inside and this is not acceptable any more.

Offering mental health days across the board and even allowing them to be taken under other names may help to alleviate the stigma and shame that is sadly associated with it. It’s also important to have regular checks in on workload and prevent burnout as tiredness and stress are both huge factors. Journey HR provides its employees with cognitive behavioural therapy sessions and I believe offering employees the opportunity to speak to someone as a company benefit without the pressure of them having to ask or admit to suffering, could make a huge difference to some people.  

Tyler Polius: Creating a culture of openness and honesty is crucial in encouraging men, or anyone, to talk. I think it comes back to psychological safety and allowing people to show up as their authentic selves. I also believe this isn’t just an issue for men but an issue for all genders.

George Nolan: Employers need to be more preventative than reactive. The fact that many companies train Mental Health First Aiders is great but from being trained myself, I understand that the majority of the content is focused on spotting symptoms among those at breaking point. This isn’t enough. Companies should focus on preventing their people from reaching that point, whether it be through fostering a transparent and supportive culture or creating psychological safety.

How can we encourage men to open up?

Mark: Convincing men to ask for help is, in my opinion, one of the biggest issues. I have a couple of friends I worry about a lot as I know they won’t reach out when they’re suffering. I do think workplaces offering a company benefit of speaking to someone would be a huge help.

It sounds simple but being open and talking to our friends about our mental health issues, or times when we struggle as men, will only encourage more men to talk. I know it really helped me hearing from a friend who has recently started therapy; it caused me to take a minute to really think about my own situation and if I’m doing enough for my own mental health.

Tyler: We need to see more use of diverse role models in adverts that are used to raise awareness to encourage men to seek help. I think so many of them are focussed on sports, which will catch a lot of men, but more could be done to make it wider reaching than targeting the same type of people. It’s also important to consider the audience make-up of sports and who is being used to raise awareness - often white men - because not everyone will relate.

George: Transparency is key. If men see their challenges spoken about in their workplaces, it’s only going to encourage them to speak up. I pride myself on talking about my anxiety and in return, I have colleagues who feel like they can open up to me because they feel safe. Male leaders need to commit to the conversation around mental health, to encourage others to feel comfortable to speak up without judgement.

Are some conditions such as fertility and body dysmorphia considered female despite affecting men?

Tyler: As someone who has been through this, I don’t see them as “female” but it definitely feels like they are more prevalent in women. I think men experience body dysmorphia in a different way to women in that the more desired body types for men are those of bodybuilders and programmes like Love Island don’t help in perpetuating these stereotypes. This can lead to eating disorders in a different way, such as a super restrictive diet, classifying food in terms of macros instead of taste and enjoyment.

Is there enough focus on male fertility and sexual health?

Mark: I’m in my late 30s, recently married, and watching all my close friends have children. Pretty much my whole friend group are liberal open-minded people but still, having children is seen as a female decision which is crazy to me. I have a condition called cystic fibrosis, which although mainly viewed as a lung condition affects the whole body. It’s a condition that leaves about 97% of men as infertile. The medical team I see are some of the most wonderful people I’ve ever come across but even in this sphere, fertility and approaching the reality of it is not straightforward. You really have to push the conversation. I think a more open approach would be hugely beneficial to men in my position.

George: As a gay man, I feel that there is more of a focus on sexual health over my heterosexual counterparts. As a community, we have tried to educate one another on preventing the spread of HIV because of the devastation of the disease in the 80s and 90s. Unfortunately, the disease has a label associated to being gay so I think breaking down stigmas associated to mental health will be beneficial to men more generally.

How can employers make a positive difference to the wellbeing of male employees?

Mark: Many employers already are but breaking down the stigma of men not talking would be huge! Being open to all types of conditions, while offering support at any signs of struggle or ideally before struggling even happens. Company benefits around mental health are so good these days and can really make a difference.

Tyler: I think continuing to encourage people to share their experiences and talk through things goes such a long way. The use of diverse role models is also extremely important from an inclusion perspective too. Providing mental health support through benefits is very helpful and can also help in terms of financial wellbeing, which can have an impact on emotional wellbeing.

We also need to be training managers to be emotionally intelligent and supportive as they play such an important role in helping support the day-to-day wellbeing of their team.

George: Providing access to counsellors and therapists is always recommended. The majority of my anxiety comes from a place of suppressing my sexuality. I’ve learnt through unpicking my anxiety with a cognitive behavioural therapist that I carried a lot of inherent shame. I believe there is a cause or reason for the escalation of poor mental health, which I think everyone should have the opportunity to explore.

 At Journey HR, our focus is upon building inclusive and fulfilling company cultures where employees feel valued and cared for. If you’re looking for help, please contact us at https://www.journeyhr.com

“40% of men have never spoken to anyone about their mental health and 29% say they are “too embarrassed” to do so.”