Mental health is a subject that is often on my mind, particularly as I enter year three of my Bachelor’s degree at McGill. A mixture of exams, assignments, work responsibilities, doubts about the future and my own awkward social interactions can easily send my mental health plummeting into the abyss. It is also a subject often discussed in pedagogical circles by education students such as myself. Now more than ever - in the era of COVID-19 - educational institutions are paying closer attention to mental health concerns that students and educators may be facing.
For many individuals, having space to discuss and address mental health concerns may not seem out of the ordinary. But for a young cis-man such as myself, this is a drastic turn from the usual ‘just tough it out’ approach we often have drilled into our brains from our earliest days. It could be said that a silver lining to this pandemic has been a push in the right direction for men’s mental health. But we still have a long way to go.
Mental health disparities
In recent years, researchers, media, and healthcare professionals have worked towards raising awareness of men’s mental health. Mental health can and does affect anyone, regardless of gender. However, cis-men are three times more likely than others to deal with substance use and addiction, and nearly 75 percent of all suicides in Canada involve cis-men (though cis-women attempt suicide more often). Studies have also suggested that cis-men suffer more from loneliness and are less likely to reach out for mental health support.
The past 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic have increased mental health concerns for many populations in Canada. Women (particularly mothers), members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, adolescents and youth, and racialized groups have all reported worsening mental health, and the health inequities that exist for these groups are serious and should not be overlooked.
For cis-men, mental health during the pandemic has also significantly worsened, with many reporting feelings of loneliness and less connections to friends. And though studies are limited, some findings have shown that men were less likely than women to seek help to manage COVID-19 life changes and to be asked how they were coping. According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, men were also more likely than women to engage in substance use during the pandemic, and data from Statistics Canada has shown that middle-aged males are significantly overrepresented in overdose-related events, accounting for 77 percent of all emergency responses.
What we can do on World Mental Health Day (and everyday)
World Mental Health Day is today (October 10th), and the World Health Organization declared this year’s theme as making mental health care for all a reality. Though a single day of awareness will not solve all the mental health issues facing society, it is my hope that we can - in part - use today to mark a turning point away from the historically ineffective ‘just suck it up’ approach used by many men. There is nothing weak about needing a helping hand.
One option could be reaching out to your support system such as family and friends. Open discussions about what is going on in your life and theirs can be a useful starting point. But it is important to note that 1) not everyone may have the space to be an emotional support and 2) social supports are not a replacement for professional help. In response to the increase in mental health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has created Wellness Together Canada - a free resource that includes basic wellness information, one-on-one counselling, and access community support. Other affordable and accessible online resources include Better Help and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). At McGill, the Student Wellness Hub and KeepMeSafe app are available for students seeking support.
As someone who experienced mental health issues prior to the pandemic, I can definitely speak to the idea that a life spent stoically can lead to it being much harder to pick up the pieces when you do eventually recognize the need for support. That is why, this year, for the first time, I’m going to personally observe World Mental Health Day. I’m going to grab a couple of guy friends, and we are going to vent about how much last year sucked. We are going to do it so we can get through this year with the energy that lets us crush whatever project it is we are working on. We are going to do it to feel better and to be better.
And you know what? That sounds pretty damn manly to me.
Mathieu Nyarai (he/him) is an undergraduate student in McGill’s Faculty of Education, specializing in Secondary Social Sciences, and a research assistant with iMPACTS. Mathieu hopes to serve as a positive male role model for his students, combining his passion for history with the desire to learn more about the intergenerational transmission of belief systems.
