Even as major strides have been made in mental health over the past decade, men are still left lagging behind.

We live in an era where it is no longer a touchy subject to talk about our inner thoughts. Anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions aren’t taboo subjects like they once were.

However, ask any man in your life about one of these topics and more often than not, there will be an unwillingness to speak openly about it.

“Women have traditionally expressed more emotion than men,” explains Adam Greaves, a mental health therapist with Alberta Health Services. “They are usually more willing to reach out and use services such as the ones we offer.”

For years, studies have shown men believe showing emotion and reaching out go against social norms.

According to a 2012 study by Social Science and Medicine, most college-aged men suffering from mental conditions adopted idealized masculine identities such as risk-taking. These attempts to mask their issues almost always resulted in their mental state deteriorating.

“Men often mistake their vulnerability for weakness. A lot of men want to stuff it down, isolate it and hope it goes away,” remarks Greaves.

In these cases, many men turn to mood-altering substances such as caffeine, alcohol or drugs. Often, these substances become a crutch and end up being abused.

“It suits our society how it is very much like [addiction to] instant gratification. If men are seeking [relief] there are other ways to get there besides inducing it with a substance,” Greaves says.

He also explains the line between physical and mental health is very thin. Often, taking care of our bodies also helps take care of our minds.

“A part of mental health therapy is checking in on the general health. The brain is part of the body, there is no disconnect between the two,” Greaves explains. “If a person appears to have an otherwise healthy life, but they have trouble sleeping, we usually see issues arise out of it.”

For men everywhere, the number one thing they can do to help each other and themselves is communicate. If you are noticing changes in the behaviour of one in the men in your life, reach out to them.

“A lot of times, just telling people you’ve noticed a change in them is enough,” Greaves says. “Sometimes, we lose awareness. If we’re depressed, we often don’t see things for what they are, instead it’s through this lens of sadness.”

The flip of the calendar to November means one of the most important men’s health charities takes centre stage.

The Movember foundation has been raising money for men’s health charities for the past 15 years. What started as five friends having a contest to see who can grow the best moustache, has turned into a movement with over 5 million participants.

The Movember foundation started as a charity combatting men’s diseases such as prostate cancer. Now, their overarching goal is to stop men from dying too young.

“We really advocate for men’s mental health, prostate cancer and testicular cancer, but we are a holistic men’s charity,” explains Travis Ambing, spokesperson for the Movember foundation.

The Movember foundation raised over $17 million in Canada alone last year. Globally, that number was over $80 million.

The money raised has supported over 1,200 men’s health initiatives.

Aside from simply growing a moustache, the Movember foundation offers fun and effective ways to support men’s health.

“We encourage people to move 60 km in the month of November. The significance is because 60 men worldwide die from suicide every minute,” explains Ambing.

Arguably the easiest and most popular way to support the charity is to get people together.

“Social interaction is a huge part of our foundation and it is how we started. We encourage people to get together to watch the game or go to the bowling alley. If everyone chips [money], it becomes a fun way to raise funds and awareness.”

This November, take control of your mental health and the mental health of those closest to you. Ask your family and friends how they are doing and tell them they can speak to you if there’s anything wrong.

If you’re going through tough times, talk to someone. Don’t be afraid to talk about your issues, because no one goes through their entire life without them.

You can access mental health services at Lethbridge College by visiting the Sheppel Health and Counselling services at CE1380, or reach out to Alberta Health Services at ahs.ca.