Statistically speaking, men are less likely to reach out for help when they need it. But this toxic masculine trait doesn’t mean their immune from health-related issues. For Men’s Health Week, we explore the barriers to men’s health and what changes can be made to achieve optimal health and wellbeing.
***Trigger warning – this article discusses suicide. If it isn’t the right time for you to read this content, please return when you are ready.***
When men reach the age of 20, they should start to become more responsible for their long-term well-being by making positive choices for their health and addressing concerns as soon as possible. Men can decrease their risk of health concerns later in life, by focusing on their health during their 20s.
If you don’t think you need to be concerned, here are some stats that might encourage you to take action:
- Men are more likely to die from heart disease at earlier ages.
- Men are significantly more at risk of dying from liver disease.
- 80% of spinal cord injuries occur in young men.
- 70% of developmental and learning disabilities affect boys.
- Men have an increased risk of dying from diabetes.
Don’t let toxic masculinity be a barrier to good health
Our Ballarat naturopaths are qualified to treat and review many male health conditions, but they report seeing considerably fewer male patients than females. This echoes the findings of Healthy Male which suggests men have at least five barriers when it comes to addressing their health:
- Denial – hoping a health concern isn’t an issue.
- Delayed information seeking – taking too long to have a health concern addressed.
- Masculine social construct – thinking that it is ‘weak’ to ask for help.
- Nerves or embarrassment – finding it difficult to talk about health concerns.
- Trust – not being sure what health information is trustworthy.
Practice safe sex
Adults in their early 20s represent a significant number of people contracting STIs, such as human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Left untreated these diseases can cause infertility, urethral disease, and an increased risk of some cancers.
In many cases, men can contract and carry STIs but remain asymptomatic. However, STIs can lead to disease later in life or be passed onto female partners who can become significantly unwell as a result of the transmitted disease, most concerningly with cervical cancer from HPV.
HPV may be prevented with the HPV vaccine, which is offered under the National Immunisation Program. However, as with any STI, the best protection is to practice safe sex.
Be sun smart
How is this for a stat: men are twice as likely to be diagnosed with skin cancer than females. This means men have a 1 in 14 chance of being diagnosed with melanoma and a 1 in 84 chance of it being fatal.
These concerning figures could be because men are less vigilant about applying sun protection, less likely to go for skin-cancer check-ups, and/or spend more time outdoors. Whilst we agree that your 20s are a great time to enjoy musical festivals, outdoor parties, water sports and get-togethers; it should also be a time to keep up good sun-smart habits.
You can be more sun smart by:
- Applying 50+ sunscreen regularly.
- Wearing protective clothing, such as a broad-brim hat, long sleeves and pants.
- Seeking out shade on high UV days.
- Wearing Australian standard sunglasses when outdoors.
Reduce the booze
In Australia, males ages between 18 and 24 are significantly more likely to engage in moderate- to high-risk alcohol drinking.
Binge drinking carries more health complications than a hangover. Binge drinking (drinking six or more drinks in one sitting for men or four or more in one sitting for women) can lead to concentration and memory problems, brain damage, mental health problems, alcohol dependency, diabetes and weight gain, heart problems, liver damage, cancer and fertility issues.
To make this more concerning, the male brain isn’t fully formed until about the age of 25. The last thing to form in the brain is the prefrontal cortex; the part of the brain that controls impulse inhibition, behaviours, social interaction, moral judgement, decision making and self-control. Adding moderate to high-risk alcohol to an unformed brain could be the reason why men in their early 20s are more likely to be involved in road trauma accidents, drowning, falls, injuries from violence and spinal cord injuries.
Get mental-health help, early
On average seven Australian men will die from suicide each day. Furthermore, 1 in 8 men will experience depression and one 1 in 5 men will experience anxiety. Whilst men are less likely to experience anxiety and depression than women, they are also less likely to seek help. This increases the risk of these mental health conditions going unrecognised and untreated.
When identified early, some mild mental health conditions can be managed with exercise and a balanced diet, adequate sleep, spending time with family and friends, reducing stress and spending time doing enjoyable activities. Herbs such as St Johns Wart can also be useful in treating mild depression.
Don’t ignore the signs of depression and anxiety. Seek help from your GP if you start feeling irritable, sad or down more often or for longer periods of time, being less interested in activities you usually enjoy, feeling more tired than usual, experiencing unexplained weight gain or loss; or feeling so panicked or worried that you have difficulty sleeping or thinking about other things.
Also, be sure to check in on your mates, who might be exhibiting signs of mental health decline and normalise having open discussions about emotions and wellbeing.
If you have any health concerns, see your GP, naturopath or refer some of the following services for assistance:
