Mental healthcare for men

Every year, as many as one in 5 Australian adults experiences a mental illness, and even more struggle with their mental health.¹

Anxiety and depression are the most common mental health conditions in the world.² Some of the common symptom of each include:

Anxiety:

• excessive fear or worry
• restlessness
• tension
• obsessive thinking
• racing heart
• hot and cold flushes
• irregular breathing
• tight chest
• sleep problems
• headaches
• panic attacks.³

Depression:

• lack of motivation or enjoyment
• fatigue
• feeling run down
• headaches
• tension
• gut pains
• withdrawing from people or things
• concentration problems
• experiencing overwhelming feelings
• lacking confidence
• being unhappy, disappointed or sad
• sleep problems
• change in appetite and weight
• substance abuse
• anxiety and depression among men.⁴

Men, women, and transgender and gender diverse people can all experience mental health conditions in different ways.

When it comes to anxiety, studies suggest that both psychological and biological reasons may point to differences in people’s experiences.⁵

With depression, for instance, men tend to use coping skills like alcohol or escapist behaviour to deal with symptoms.⁶ They're also less likely to talk about their problems, so mental health challenges can often go overlooked or undiagnosed.⁷

Worryingly, of the 9 people on average who take their own lives in Australia every day, seven are men.⁸

Understanding how your mental health works and learning to recognise the signs of a potential problem is an important step in staying on top of your health and wellbeing.

While you may not be able to pinpoint an exact mental health trigger, for many people anxiety and depression start with a stressful life event.

You may be facing work uncertainty, financial stress or social isolation. And you may be dealing with relationship issues, physical health problems or grief at the same time. You may even be experiencing something perceived as joyous, like the birth of a baby.

Any life change, whether it’s good or bad, can be stressful and increase your risk of anxiety and depression.

Many people have their own ways of dealing with anxiety and depression. It may be healthy, like taking part in an enjoyable activity or calling a friend during a stressful moment. Other ways, though, can be less healthy, such as drinking alcohol, overeating or avoiding a problem (or all of the above).

When it comes to dealing with anxiety and depression, some things tend to offer temporary relief while making things worse in the long run.

Alcohol, for instance, may relax you initially. But over time, it’s more likely to affect the way you think and feel in a negative way and worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety.

If you consume alcohol, it’s a good idea to follow the Australian guidelines for sensible drinking in order to reduce your risk of harm or injury. While drinking less will always reduce your risk more, for healthy men and women, the guidelines recommend:

• drinking no more than 10 standard drinks a week
• consuming no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day.⁹

Improving your mental health can often start by making a few small changes. These may include:

• looking after your body. Mental and physical health go hand in hand. Make sure you get enough sleep, exercise regularly and eat healthy food most of the time. Limit your use of alcohol, smoking and other drugs
• staying connected. Sharing your worries with others can make a huge difference to how you feel. If you feel like you’re physically isolated from others, you might stay connected in other ways, such as via the phone or online
• learning to relax. Different people find different ways to relax. It may be going for a walk, run or swim, or it may be listening to music, cooking or meditating. You may even find that simply taking slow, deep breaths is the best way to relax. Find what works for you and practise it every day.

Research suggests that men are less aware about mental health issues and far less likely to access mental health services than women.¹⁰

Remember, it’s okay to ask for help whenever you need it. If you’re experiencing symptoms like low mood, trouble sleeping or wanting to withdraw from other people for more than 2 weeks, it might be a sign that’s it’s time to reach out for support.

And help is out there.

You can speak to your GP about any problems that concern your mental health.

Lifeline Australia offers 24/7 crisis support online and on the phone at 13 11 14.

Beyond Blue offers 24/7 mental health information and support online and on the phone at 1300 224 636.

MensLine is a counselling service for men. You can get 24/7 support online and on the phone at 1300 78 99 78.

QLife offers LGBTQIA+ peer support online and over the phone on 1800 184 527.