Men's health – Starting the conversation
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Men's health – Starting the conversation
Start a conversation on men’s health, and most men will turn a deaf ear and a blind eye. Tell a man how tough and strong he is, and you immediately have his attention.
As men, we are constantly bombarded by a society that is always telling us what a real man is. Regardless of nationality, heritage or culture, men’s stories from around the world commonly spread the same message – to be a real man you must be strong, tough, independent, dependable ... and above all, don't complain. Real men are meant to have it all together.
Mainstream media floods us with role models of successful men
From Hollywood’s depiction of the tall, dark, handsome, muscle-bound hero, to real-life sporting 'demi-gods' saturating the back and front pages of our newspapers, to powerful businessmen and rebellious anti-heroes ... We are constantly sold stories of what it is to be a real man.
Yet delve deeper into the suburban or regional heartland of Australia and indeed much of our world, and we discover a different story ... a story that tells of a different kind of man, a man who is struggling with modern life and all of its expectations and complexities. A man whose body is at odds with the image he tries to portray.
Statistics tell us that in Australia alone:
JUST PAUSE FOR A SECOND AND CONSIDER THE ABOVE
These statistics alone would be staggering, but there is more ...
More men die each year from prostate cancer than women do from breast cancer
Without question, there is A LOT going on for us as men. We may like to portray that we are doing 'ok', but are we really? Clearly, the conversations we are currently having barely skim the surface of what’s going on in light of such deeply disturbing trends.
And so, is it possible to START THE CONVERSATION?
Might we, as men and women in our communities, our families, our workplaces, sporting clubs, social environments ... START THE CONVERSATION about what’s really going on?
Might this be a much needed step towards truly addressing the current state of men’s health and wellbeing? For clearly we are suffering, and in no small measure.
Might it be possible that our inability to admit what is going on is contributing to our ill health? If so, why is it as men that we are unable or unwilling to speak up and communicate with our partners, our family, our friends or our colleagues when things are clearly not ok?
Perhaps as men we find it hard to accept that, in truth, we are worth looking after.
Filed under
Men's health, Health, Health conditions, Well-being
