Movember & Men’s Mental Health

Movember (a combination of ‘moustache’ and ‘November’) is an annual initiative to raise awareness and funds in support of men’s physical and mental health.

Every year in November, men across the globe have been cleverly creating a talking point and raising awareness about men’s physical and mental health by putting aside their razors and donning a moustache.

The idea, which started in 2003, was originally intended to support awareness and fundraising for prostate cancer. Over the years, this eventually expanded to include mental health and suicide prevention among men.

Why is the focus just on men?

Anyone can be affected by poor mental health however, men are less likely to seek help and are often less willing to discuss their emotions with others, leading to some very severe consequences.

In the UK alone, around three-quarters of suicide deaths in 2019 were men, with the highest rates occurring among the middle-aged.

Additionally, men tend to turn to alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism and are two and a half times more likely to die from misuse.

How you can help

Whether or not you choose to grow a moustache, you could make a real difference by supporting charities such as Movember, whose aim is to reduce global suicides in men by 25% by the year 2030.

If you need to talk to someone immediately about your mental health, please call the NHS on 111 or Samaritans at 116 123.