Movember 2024
Talk Mo with PH
Between April 2023 and March 2024, men only made up 29% of new and re-registering patients to NHS Practitioner Health.
As NHS health and care workers, you are often at the forefront of caring for others, but it is essential to also take care of your own mental and physical wellbeing. Movember is an opportunity to raise awareness about men’s health- more specifically, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health, The Talk Mo with PH campaign aims to encourage more male health and care professionals to open up about their mental health.
We are leading this Movember with our #TalkingMoWithPH campaign. We aim to encourage all men to talk more on their mental health and wellbeing. Let’s get the conversation started!
To access our campaign materials click here
Men’s Mental Health
Stigma, cultural expectations, and various barriers prevent men from seeking the help they need. The additional culture of strength and resilience upheld within the healthcare workforce can make it considerably more difficult for male health and care professionals to reach out for help.
This Movember, let’s work together to create a safe and non-judgemental workplace environment for male health and care staff to discuss their mental health.
While mental health challenges affect everyone, men can sometimes find it harder to speak openly about their struggles. The pressures of working in healthcare can add to this, with high-stress environments, long hours, and the emotional demands of patient care. Movember is a chance to shine a light on these issues and encourage conversations that can lead to support and healing.
For men in health and care roles, the culture of strength and resilience can sometimes make it difficult to reach out for help. However, it’s important to remember that seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.
By raising awareness this Movember, we aim to:
- Encourage open conversations about mental health, stress, and burnout.
- Provide resources to help you look after your mental and physical well-being.
- Reduce the stigma surrounding men's mental health and encourage help-seeking behaviours.
In 2023, 38.8% of male NHS staff survey respondents stated that they had felt unwell as a result of work-related stress. This Movember, we want to encourage more male health and care professionals to talk more about their mental health- whether that is with a colleague, manager, friend, or loved one. Together, we can help to create a safe and non-judgemental workplace environment to discuss your mental health.
Top Tips to Talking Mo This Movember
- Start small- let your manager know of one thing that is affecting your mental health at work.
- Ask a male colleague how they are feeling/doing.
- Call a mental health listening line.
- Register with NHS Practitioner Health
Movember Podcast:
For Movember 2023, PH Medical Director Dr Zaid Al-Najjar and therapists Simon Lyne and Ruth Deighton discussed the statistics surrounding men’s mental health, the individuals who seek support, and difference in experiences that men and women have when accessing mental health services.
Why Do Men Struggle to Open up About Their Mental Health?
Men often struggle with opening up about their feelings due to a combination of social, psychological and cultural factors:
Socialisation
From a young age, boys may be socialised to prioritise toughness and independence over vulnerability, leading to a discomfort when discussing emotions.
Cultural Expectations
Many cultures promote the idea that men should be stoic and self-reliant, discouraging emotional expression. This can create a fear of being perceived as weak.
Fear of Judgment
Due to the expectation of toughness, men might worry about being judged or misunderstood when they express their feelings, making them hesitant to share.
Lack of Skills
Some men may not have learned how to articulate their emotions effectively, leading to frustration or avoidance.
Fear of Rejection
Vulnerability can be intimidating, and the fear of rejection or negative responses can keep men from disclosing their feelings.
Emotional Overload
Some may feel overwhelmed by their emotions and struggle to communicate them.
How to Talk Mo About your Mental Health
Choose a friend/ someone you know and pick an activity.
If you struggle to open up about how you’re feeling, try picking a time when doing an activity alongside someone you trust. This could be on a walk, playing sports, fixing the car, and more! It can feel less intimidating to talk ‘alongside’ someone, rather than face to face.
Online Forum & Support Groups
If you are struggling to talk to your colleagues and loved ones about your mental health, there are many online forums where you can share your struggles with mental health professionals or peers. Feeling heard and understood could be the stepping stone you need to reach out to those closest to you and start the journey to receiving professional mental health support.
Doctors in Distress host a free confidential support group for health and care professionals in the UK. Held on Wednesdays between 12:30-1:30pm on Zoom, each session is supported by an experienced facilitator.
BMA provide a free and confidential 24/7 counselling line and peer support service that is open to all doctors and medical students on 0330 123 1245. Read more here.
RCN provide a peer support network for its members with lived experience of disability and/or neurodiversity.
Nurse Lifeline is a free and confidential listening service for nurses, midwives, healthcare support workers, students, nursing associates, and the friends and family of such staff. Call 0808 801 0455 between 7pm-10pm, Monday-Friday.
Write it down
If you struggle to articulate how you have been feeling to someone else, writing down what you want to say beforehand can lessen the pressure in the moment. Try making notes about the emotions you have been experiencing recently, and any factors or events that have contributed to your mental ill health (such as work, family, financial problems etc).
Mental Health Helplines
If you have been finding it hard to reach out to friends, family, or your colleagues, there are a variety of mental health helplines with trained volunteers who will support and listen to you. Talking to someone who does not have a personal connection to you can lessen the stress and anxiety you may feel about discussing your mental health.
Samaritans have a free listening service which is available 24/7, 365 days a year. Call 116 123. If you would like emotional support in Welsh, call the Welsh Language line at 0808 164 0123.
Mind provide a support line that is open from 9am-6pm, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays). Call 0300 102 1234.
National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK offers a supportive listening service to anyone with thoughts of suicide, which is available from 6pm-mindight every day. Call 0800 689 5652.
Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text support service for anyone in the UK who is struggling to cope. To start a conversation, text the word ‘Shout’ to 85258.
For more mental health helplines, click here.
Confidential Treatment
As health and care workers, we often struggle to ask for help ourselves. The self-imposed expectation to be perfect all the time can worsen your mental wellbeing and prevent you from reaching out for support due to fears of judgement and disciplinary action. If you are worried about these factors, NHS Practitioner Health has a number of measures in place to ensure the confidentiality of our patients- read more here. If you are unable to access confidential mental health or addiction treatment from local services, register with us today.
Published: Nov 1, 2024