A recent study has found that men are more concerned about their physical appearance than they are about their mental health.
In a week that highlights mental health issues in the population, suicide prevention charity, Samaritans, have discovered that 41 per cent of men spend less than an hour a week looking after their mental health. 16 per cent of men are unconcerned with their physical appearance.
The survey was carried out with male grooming company, The Bluebeards Revenge.
The survey also found that 66 percent of men spend 1-4 hours a week looking after their physical appearance, whilst only 44 percent of men dedicate time to their mental health.
It is a stark reminder that whilst more people are being encouraged to talk about their problems, men still find it hard to speak up. A recent campaign launched by This Morning and Project 84 brought to light that 84 men a week take their own lives.
But how are us men meant to de-stress and focus on our feelings, when society still tells us to simply ‘man up’, to not ‘be a pansy’, and continuously disparages any emotional feelings we dare to show?
The research by Samaritans found that reading was the most popular de-stressing activity, followed by walking and running.
The frightening research has prompted Samaritans to work closely with The Bluebeards Revenge to encourage more men to speak up on the issue. Now, if you open up cartons supplied by The Bluebeards Revenge, a life saving message from The Lions Barber Collective and Samaritans can be read.
Nick Gibbens, a spokesperson for The Bluebeards Revenge said:
Men are much less likely to seek support for mental health issues than women and this needs to change. Suicide is also the single biggest killer of men under the age of 50 in the UK and, in 2016, 76% of people who died by suicide in the UK were male.
Our research shows men are still much more interested in their physical appearance than their mental wellbeing, and we are in a unique position to change this and get more guys to open up and talk about their feelings.
Upon opening one of our product cartons, men are presented with the vital information they need to actively improve their mental health, allowing them to find the right support to help them improve their lives and fight stigma.
Meanwhile, Paul McDonald, Samaritan’s Director of External Affairs said:
Looking after your emotional wellbeing as well as your physical health is fundamental. Three times as many men kill themselves as women, so it is crucial that men find ways of looking after themselves emotionally, and get into the habit of looking after each other. It is as important as learning to read and write.
Common problems that affect mental health:
The survey looked into what causes the mental health worries for the men, and discovered that financial worries were at the top of the list. That was then followed by relationship problems, family concerns, work pressures and finally poor physical health. Twenty-nine per cent of the participants said social media was a big factor in their mental health.
The survey was conducted with 18 to 65 year old men, and the number of participants were 2,124.
