{"id":260,"date":"2023-11-01T08:53:49","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T08:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/policing\/?p=260"},"modified":"2023-12-05T17:03:47","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T17:03:47","slug":"movember-shining-a-light-on-mens-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/policing\/movember-shining-a-light-on-mens-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Movember’ – Shining a light on Men’s Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This week’s blog has been written by Senior Lecturer Carly Lawrence, who was inspired by the upcoming ‘Movember’ campaign. Carly hopes to shine a light on Men’s Mental Health, offering some signs to look for, linking some of the support open to those struggling or looking to help their loved ones. Carly also shares details on upcoming challenges aimed to get us all talking about the important subject of Men’s Mental Health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Movember’ in November<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As we welcome November, with the days seemingly getting shorter & the nights longer, sometimes it feels as though we are living in the dark. Those working shifts may feel this more and it is important that we take the opportunity to shine a little light where we can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

November importantly brings Bonfire Night, the beginning of the countdown to Christmas but, perhaps more poignantly, it also brings Men\u2019s Mental Health Month.<\/p>\n\n\n

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It\u2019s a topic that should not be a taboo; 74% of suicides in England and Wales – that\u2019s nearly 3 of 4 \u2013 happen to men (ONS, 2021). This makes suicide the largest killer of men under the age of 50 (Campaign Against Living Miserably, 2023). It is time that the stigma associated with talking about mental health in men to be removed. It is time to support each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no getting away from the sad fact that the above figures only involve cases that come to the fore. With so many incidents unreported, this may be linked to the stigma surrounding mental health in men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With phrases like \u2018men don\u2019t cry\u2019 still unfortunately prevalent today, and historic views about masculinity and the expectation of men to be strong and resilient equally as significant, does that suggest that mental health struggles make men weaker? Or would talking about the issues impacting men, helping those seek support \u2013 whether for depression, stress, anxiety \u2013 actually make them stronger?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone has a role in making change, so let us seek to show those men in our lives that we support them and do not want them to suffer in silence as so many often do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to look for? <\/h2>\n\n\n
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There are many factors that impact men\u2019s mental health which we need to understand better. The factors of course will vary from man to man; from relationship break downs, workplace pressures, physical health problems, exposure to trauma, unemployment, and in today\u2019s climate financial pressures. This list is of course not exhaustive but starts to paint a picture of how day-to-day life can have an impact. It\u2019s important to remember that it\u2019s not always those big moments that cause a decline in mental health but can be lots of smaller stressors that can build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we consider some of these factors, is it any surprise that police officers are and can be often significantly impacted by mental health problems? Collectively officers had 571,000 days off in 2022 due to their mental health, that\u2019s the equivalent of having 1,600 less officers a year (Police Federation, 2023). Between 2011 \u2013 2021 we lost 157 male officers from all ranks, and 20 female officers, to suicide (ONS, 2022). It is as important as it has ever been that we stand united and supportive of each other in these moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each and every one of us plays a key role in supporting those men in our lives – whether that be friends, family, partners or colleagues  – but in order to provide that support we need to be able to recognise some signs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NHS state that those experiencing mental health problems may exhibit the following signs: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n