Breaking down stigmas for better men's health
Men's Health Week 2021 (14 to 20 June) is an opportunity to raise awareness of men's health and preventable health problems by encouraging early detection and treatment of physical and mental health issues among men and boys.
The health status of males in most countries, including Australia, is generally poorer than that of females. More males die at every stage through the life course, more males have accidents, more males take their own lives and more males suffer from lifestyle-related health conditions than females at the same age.
To mark Men’s Health Week at HSS, ICT Service Improvement Analyst, Kiel Adam, shares his story on the challenges and positive outcomes of living with his health issues, which he hopes might encourage other men in similar situations to also seek help.
How long have you been managing your mental health issues?
Over the past eight years I've engaged on-and-off with mental health services through Employee Assistance Programs, Mental Health Care Plans through my GP and consultations with Psychologists.
Was it a specific event that caused anxiety and depression or more of a gradual build-up of stress and lifestyle factors?
It's ebbed and flowed over the years, with some events and periods having additional impact on my mental health - from stressful personal situations like renovating and selling a house, to particularly hectic periods at work, to big health scares in my family (and myself), and even some traumatic events which have their own lasting effects.
Do you have a support network around you?
I have an incredible support network, and I do my best not to take it for granted. I try to surround myself with people who bring me joy, who inspire me, and whose opinions I trust and value - my wife, my family, my friends across the world, my four pets, and my mental health team (Psychologist and GP).
What was the catalyst to make you seek help?
I've always been pretty open and worn my heart on my sleeve, which I know isn't the case for a lot of people - especially as men, we (as a group) can tend to bottle things up, downplay things, and some of us find it really hard to talk about our feelings.
Some of my dear family and friends find this hard but I'm really thankful for the movement to normalise men participating in conversations about this very human thing.
You were recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. How has this impacted your mental health and physical health?
It's something that always takes up at least some of my mental bandwidth. I'm always mindful of my blood sugar, how much insulin I have on board, how hydrated I am, how rested... there are so many factors which affect it! But I'm managing it well and it's a great motivator to exercise and eat well.
What kinds of things do you do to manage your mental health issues?
Being connected online with my support network is massive for me, and I'm so grateful to have friends in different time zones - there's almost always someone I can reach out to, even just to say 'hi'.
Exercise is a great regulator for my mood (and my blood sugar!) - I regularly walk, run, and do some weights at the gym. Exercising solo gives me valuable time for introspection and exercising with others helps reinforce my support network – I did a ‘virtual run’ with my Mum on Mother’s Day; we don’t live near each other, but we went for individual runs during the same hour and had a great virtual catch-up afterwards!
A small daily dose of prescribed anti-anxiety medication does wonders to keep the intensity in check. For me, I describe the benefit as ‘taking the edge off’ my anxious mindset – it gives me the mental and emotional capacity to better enjoy day-to-day life, and to work on the underlying stuff more deeply.
Journaling helps me collect my thoughts and work things through. Breathing exercises and other mindfulness techniques help me reset my mental space. Therapy sessions help me better understand my brain and give me practical ways to manage things. I also try to understand my triggers and plan my routines and life around them.
What advice would you give other men who are struggling with health issues that may need support?
Being vulnerable can be scary, but it's so worth putting yourself out there with people you trust. I wholeheartedly believe that people need other people to get through the tough times, and I hope you consider taking the first step and sharing with someone you trust. If you’re not there yet, honestly writing your unfiltered thoughts on paper can be massively cathartic. It sounds cheesy, but in my experience, it’s all about getting your feelings out in a healthy way you can control – bottling them up only leads to them pouring out in unexpected, unwanted ways.