It's Movember and advisor Gitte has a clear message for the guys: Talk about your mental health and build mental muscles!
Movember - more than a mustache
Movember – what’s your first thought? Mustache and prostate cancer? My boyfriend and my father had the same thought! Did you know however that it’s about so much more in addition to having the biggest mustache? Totally ok if you didn’t. Most of us don’t know that Movember is a leading volunteer organization actively promoting men’s physical and mental health.
Your relationship ends. You’ve got exam nerves. Financial troubles? Perhaps you’ve become a dad? These are all monumental happenings in a man’s life and familiar to many. It’s important to acknowledge their influence and talk about how you deal with it (Movember, 2020).
Boys don't cry?
Men don’t cry. Men are supposed to be strong. Men shouldn’t be open about their feelings. It’s frightening to think about how many men and boys been told this.
Around 600 people commit suicide per year, most of them men. Boys.
Could life be a bit easier to handle if during the half time soccer match break could involve a chat about stressful economy? How does it sound to have a beer while talking about your breakup? Or an online chat?
A middle-aged man once responded when the topic was raised “Well, it’s become a bit better”. That’s completely true. We’ve become more open regarding mental health the last 10-15 years; however, we still have a long way to go.
Mental health still has a lot of prejudice and stigma attached to it (Helse-og omsorgsdepartementet, 2017). Unfortunately, this directly influences people’s health. Mental health issues make the largest public health challenge we have in Norway (St. meld. nr. 15, 2022-2023).
In 2021 we lost approximately 650 people to suicide, two out of three being men (Folkehelserapporten, 2018). Numbers from 2020 show that we lost 189 men and boys in the age group 10-39 years to suicide. In 2023, 693 suicides were recorded in Norway - 495 men and 198 women (FHI, 2024). We can’t continue like that!
Say it out loud!
In addition, 36% of men don’t reach out for help, and 40% report that they don’t need it when they’re having a difficult time (forskning.no). However! Professionals. Previous experiences. They all say the same:
Openness regarding how life really is will help “organize” thoughts. Because boys and men have just that, thoughts and feelings. They have moments of joy, but at the same time moments with problems and challenges.
«Easy for you to say!”
Yes, unfortunately a bit easier. That’s what we wish to alter.
It's all too easy to forget that we all have mental health. We all experience ups and downs. That life is as difficult as it is good at times.
We understand that it could be viewed as pointing a finger, making you feel like you need to be better at sharing what’s up “on the inside”. But we’re hassling you for a reason. According to Movember.no (2020) masculinity takes lives, and men suffer in silence with their problems.
Share what's working well
We strongly wish that the conversation about mental health focuses more on what promotes good mental health and quality of life. If you are one of those who immediately think of mental health as a problem, I want you to pay attention to the following description.
“Linguistically, mental health means what makes us alive and whole people” (Andersen, 2018).
Read that again and get a feel for the sentence - your mental muscles will get stronger if you share what’s good in your life with another person. What you think is fun, what makes you happy, what matters to you, and what gives you a sense of recreation and joy. Not only will it generate good feelings, but it will also make it easier for you to share when you’re going through something difficult.
We have to start at an early age
An important first step to succeed in this is to start early. This is also emphasized by Tove Gundersen, general secretary in The Norwegian Council for Mental Health (2016).
Additionally, public health and life skills are given more focus in schools and universities. Throughout your education it’s meant to be easier for you to strengthen your toolbox and make it easier to talk about how life is going. Available sessions online are one example, perhaps an online chat lowers the hurdle a bit especially for men (forskning.no).
The Government (and us!) invest in strengthening mental muscles early in life. It must and should be easier to be honest about tough times. What gives us a tummy ache. Why something feels exciting. Why life sometimes feels too much. We need to help each other in lowering the expectations and master life together.
We need to repeat again and again how we need each other. Per Fugelli always used to point out how we’re not supposed to be left alone on this planet but be part of our herd. He is completely right; we are in this life project together. Make room, for us as individuals and for each other (Verdensdagen.no).
Talk to someone!
Talk to a friend, family member or a psychologist, therapist or counsellor on campus.
SSN Health has many skilled counsellors.
Sources:
Andersen, A. J. W. (2018). Psykisk helsearbeid – en gang til. Gyldendal, Akademisk.
Forskning.no, Vi trenger nye metoder for å nå menn som sliter, 2022.
Mestre hele livet, Regjeringens strategi for god psykisk helse. Helse og omsorgsdepartementet, 2017.
Gitte Olesen Anderberg
Counsellor student relations
Gitte is an advisor for student relations in SSN's Department for Health Promotion and Prevention.
She is present at Campus Drammen every day to work to ensure that students have a good and meaningful student life. Gitte has extensive work experience in mental health and health promotion. She has a bachelor's degree in health science and a master's degree in public health science, and has previously worked as a counsellor, milieu therapist and supervisor.
