
In male circles, there has long been a stigma around talking about one’s mental health. Men recoil from discussing their own or others’ mental health for fear of appearing weak or facing ridicule.
One chap when asked about the state of his mental health retorted “I’m not mental!..” This Movember we tackle the question; ‘What is Mental health versus mental illness?’
The numbers don’t lie…
The statistics around men taking care of their health physically or mentally leave a lot to be desired

According to the Summit Medical Group
“Men are less likely to seek healthcare than their female counterparts.”
“Mental health. is one of the most stigmatised issues affecting men.”
“Due to health behaviours, men have a shorter life expectancy than women.”
What’s the difference?
One definition of illness is poor health resulting from disease of body or mind (sobanewjersey)
A person can be in poor physical health without having a physical illness or disease. In the same way a person can experience poor mental health without having a mental illness.
A relationship break-up, loss of a family member, work burnout are challenging life circumstances that can affect the quality of our mental health.
Mental health refers to our emotional and psychological wellbeing.
Just because we feel unwell it does not mean we are suffering from a mental illness. Engaging in healthy habits such as getting constant sufficient sleep, eating a healthy diet, enjoying positive relationships and exercising etc can greatly improve our mental health.

Diagnosed Mental illnesses on the other hand (e.g., depression, schizophrenia, addictions etc) are caused by biological factors and chemicals in the brain. They cannot be solved by healthy lifestyle choices alone; they typically require some form of prescription medication and/ or therapy.
Changing the narrative.
This November for Men’s Health Awareness Month UK Men’s Sheds Association (UKMSA) is encouraging men to start talking. It is vital that men learn to talk about how they are feeling and to be able to start conversations with their male counterparts about personal health.
<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/qUL8MlFAfcE” title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” allowfullscreen></iframe>
Our motto at UKMSA is ‘happy and healthy men’. We know all too well the power of men talking shoulder to shoulder. It is a new cultural mindset that needs to break through stiff upper lips or grinning and bearing it.
According to the office of national statistics for England and Wales ‘Males continued to account for three-quarters of suicide deaths registered in 2021’
According to the Zero Suicide Alliance asking people whether they are feeling suicidal is actually more helpful than not. Sometimes there is the fear that talking about mental health and wellness may trigger, or offend but that is not what the research shows.
Helping another man to better his mental health simply starts with a conversation.
If you’re worried about your physical health talk to someone or make an appointment to see your GP.