Movember

Mental health… this has gained a huge amount of attention (and rightfully so) over the last couple of years. The annual event of Movember, which involves men growing out moustaches, is not only entertaining but also has a more serious agenda. It is to raise awareness for men’s health such as prostate and testicular cancer as well as mental health issues and suicide.

At Crossling, we are very lucky to have a fantastic customer base of good people. This customer base is mostly made up of men and, therefore, Movember and what it stands for is really important to us. Did you know that 76% of all suicides are by men yet men are less likely to accept therapeutic health than women? It is commonly reported that men resist asking for help when it comes to both their physical and mental health which is one reason why their health can progress so badly.

Ironmongery Direct carried out research on men in the trade industry and found that they often experience stress, anxiety and depression for a wealth of reasons from financial worries to high or low workloads. Yet in such a male-dominated industry, men find it harder to talk about such troubles. If you have ever heard the phrase “A problem shared is a problem halved”, this could not be truer. Talking about your mental health is the first step to take action to improve it according to numerous charities such as Mind, Looseheads and the Mental Health Foundation. 50% of plumbers and 57% of builders experience mental health issues. These are worrying figures, however, it shows that you are not alone. Many people are experiencing the same problems and so can give understanding and support to each other if these issues were talked about more.

Movember, the month of silly moustaches, is a positive way to raise awareness for such issues. By raising awareness of men’s cancer and removing the stigma of reporting health problems, such diseases will be caught earlier. From a mental health point of view, raising awareness demonstrates that no one is alone with their mental health whilst also opening their eyes to a wealth of information that can help.

Ironmongery Direct gave 5 examples of how to improve your mental health…

• Understand more about stress – A simple google will really help with this. The NHS website also has a lot of information on stress and how to manage it.
• Figure out what helps you and what triggers you – What may work for one person may not work for others. Try different ideas of how to relax and reduce stress and see how you get on! Furthermore, if you know something triggers you yet is avoidable; avoid it! Take care of yourself.
• Learn about different coping mechanisms – Again, there are lots of resources available online. Charities such as Mind are a good place to start!
• Exercise regularly – Whether its weights in the gym, swimming, golf or simply a walk in the park with your furry, four legged pal, any of these will really help. Exercise has actually been proven to release the happy hormone dopamine!
• Practice mindfulness – This is where you give some time to yourself to sit, meditate, breath and focus on how you are feeling. This practice is used in order to reduce the feelings of stress.

In addition to all the useful resources online, Movember also has its own website that has a lot of information regarding men's health. It is worth a visit to see what you find out and also take a look at what they do and how you can help their efforts.

So if you are braving the “Tash” this month, well done! We hope to see the odd one coming into our branches over the coming month.