This year will be my 12th as a Mo Bro, the title given to men participating in Movember. It’s this month when my social media profiles become dedicated to the cause. The month when I openly advocate selfies to show my ‘mogress’. Movember also gives me something to focus on while the rest of my peers look to prematurely slip into the 12 Days of Christmas.
When I first began taking part in Movember in Australia in 2011, it seemed like a fun way to grow a moustache to raise some money for men’s health. Over time, Movember has become less of an effort and more of an obligation due to how much I need to look out for my own mental health. Gradually, I have learned how vital men’s health initiatives are to helping look out for men and their mental health.
Funding Men’s Health Initiatives
According to Movember, the world loses a man to suicide every minute of every day. Just let that sink in for a moment, maybe even 60 of them. As the annual event has evolved, there has been notable progress in how men’s health is discussed. That’s not to say enough is being done yet the work has started.
Movember recognises that by assisting men in building stronger social connections, they can get the help they need to reduce risk of suicide. These are typically ingenious projects that put men into a social support network. It could be a Men’s Pie Club which focuses on men in the middle age bracket who may otherwise struggle to form fulfilling friendships. Not the ones that spend most of their weekend in the pub but the ones where you openly discuss what’s going on in their lives, much like women do. They also take home delicious pies and I’m privately hoping the project makes its way south from the North East of England.
Of course, influencers are a great way in to getting people to listen. Crucially, Movember has reached out to men who garner a huge social media following. Men I actively admire like the former Manchester United left-back, Patrice Evra. In a series of nine videos entitled ‘Deep Issue Massage‘, the comedian, Munya Chawawa, helps to gently remove the stigma that can surround men’s health. The men are also getting a massage which is a clever way of both letting them relax and demonstrate how men can open up in certain situations.
Coping With My Mental Health
A few years ago, I was diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Essentially, when the clocks go back and the nights close in, my mental health suffers. I’m still poor at discussing it until I hit the lows of feeling worthless as depression takes a hold yet I am trying. It’s become easier to realise when SAD is making itself known yet it is important to recognise the signs amongst your fellow men. The gender tends to fixate on alpha personas and definitions of manhood that simply do not allow mental health to be discussed which is problematic and self-defeating in itself.
Movember look to challenge this issue with Spot The Signs, an online campaign dedicated to reaching out. These can be subtle indicators: increased irritability, losing interest in the things they are typically excited about, and a struggle to sleep. During winter, I pretty much tick every box yet it can seem that everything is A-ok when I know it isn’t. That’s the problem, as men mask their inner emotions their mental health is only going to deteriorate.
Since moving from Sheffield, I have left most of my male friends behind yet have become privy to a close, arty friendship group in my area. You can tell the difference with women as I have met so many strong and determined ones. They know how to check up on themselves and others which, I’m afraid, is a skill men are still evolving to learn. It can be something simple like pulling your mate away at a party just to simply ask them how they’re doing. Seeing if they want to go for a walk or maybe even consider if they are enjoying the match as much as usual.
There are some great initiatives out there yet knowing how to talk to a fellow man can be difficult. Even asking about their mental health can seem like an invasion of privacy and a judgemental inference into their manhood. I’ve been struck recently by the advert unveiled by the English football club, Norwich City. It’s only a couple of minutes long and the twist at the end gets me every time. Some men are far better at hiding their inner turmoil than others which seems like a skill in itself yet is often to the detriment of their mental health.
The Obligation To Move
One of the ways that I help improve my mental health is through movement. It’s this time of year when we all pretty much become gluttons. That tub of Quality Street sits on the table enticing you for a treat every time your eyes set upon it. A cheeseboard becomes a meal, we start the day with a piece of chocolate, and that extra glass of mulled wine tends to become the norm. It’s also the time of year when I succumb to creating an order of around ten beers just because they are festively themed and why the hell not it’s Christmas?
As much as I’m aware of this extra calorific intake, I try to combat it with more exercise. Thankfully, Movember has this as part of their offering too with ‘Move For Mental Health‘, The premise is quite simple, as 60 men are lost to suicide every hour, you cover 60km in the month. You can walk the distance or cover it by running, perhaps even a mixture of both. I’ve been a member of a local running club for the last couple of years and that does help get me out of the door. Not only do I get that 60km covered pretty quickly, I also get some fresh air, either make new friends, or catch up with the ones I know. In the space of just over an hour, I have covered 10km and feel a lot better about myself than I would lounging on the sofa.
There is a simple sense of accomplishment on every run I undertake at the moment. It may take me a little longer to get out of bed and leave the house during the winter yet once I take that first step, my mind clears and I start to see some sense in the world. Running may be one of those few occasions when my overthinking mind actually calms down as I focus on my route and my surroundings. I also start to come up with ideas as the creative side of my brain makes itself heard.
While the moustache has become the norm in November, it should act as a reminder to open up about men’s health. Though I do look good with it, this crucial bit of facial hair and the pin badge on my jacket are succinct reminders for men that it’s ok to not feel ok. Open up to your mates or be the one to check up on someone in your friendship group you may not have seen in a while.
If you want to keep track of my movements (in a non-creepy way) then you can check out my Strava. At the time of writing, I only have 16 more kilometres to go. You can also see my ‘mogress’ on Instagram. Finally, please donate at my Mospace to help fund men’s health initiatives and suicide prevention programs
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