Researchers at the University of British Columbia have launched a new website dedicated to men’s mental health, which they hope will help men connect with each other and build support networks.
John Olliff, a registered nurse and founder and leader of UBC’s men’s health research program, has been researching the unique barriers men face in accessing mental health support since 2005. Olliff says when he first began his research, he was primarily interested in the clinical side of things.
He questioned why men are diagnosed with depression at half the rate as women, yet are four times more likely to die by suicide.
Olliff concluded that part of the answer lies in the way depression is tested. Men going through difficult times often become irritable, angry, impulsive or turn to drinking or drug use, Olliff said. But because these aren’t symptoms that clinicians typically check for, Olliff said, many men go undiagnosed and untreated.
While making changes on that front is important, Olliff has recently turned his attention back to taking more preventative measures, such as the launch of his program’s website, InGoodCompany, to encourage men to talk to their friends about mental health and get support before they reach a crisis point.
The site features anecdotes from men from across Canada about mental health and connecting with UBC researchers, as well as tips on building stronger connections with friends, knowing how and when to reach out to them, and how to ask for help.
“We want to say to men: ‘We all struggle with relationships, and here’s an idea of what you want to offer your partner and what you can ask for.’
Olliff said there are three main tendencies that prevent men from addressing their mental health issues: denying that something has hurt them, relying solely on themselves to get through difficult situations, and not building truly meaningful relationships with friends.
A lot of this comes from societal pressure to be strong, calm and independent, Olliff said. While some of that pressure has eased in the 20 years since she began studying mental health, she said there’s still a lot of work to be done.
He said he hoped the website would reassure men that the challenges they face are not theirs alone and provide them with strategies for moving forward.
