Movember Mental Health Panel Shines Light on Men's Health

Movember is a global movement to help men live happier, healthier, and longer lives. It focuses on three of the biggest health issues facing men: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health and suicide prevention. Globally, one man dies by suicide every single minute. That’s 60 men an hour. That’s why Greenwood's Community Support Committee (formerly known as the Jack Chapter) knows it’s so important to discuss these topics. Annually, we leverage the Movember platform to start conversations that help destigmatise mental illness for all community members, and encourage productive dialogue about mental health and wellbeing. 

At our Movember kick-off assembly, as staff lead for the CSC, I moderated a Men’s Mental Health Panel, featuring three male staff members. Matthew West, Andrew Ruston and Jeffrey MacDonald, shared their unique and personal stories, and in so doing, modelled constructive vulnerability. They opened the doors for students to feel seen, know they are not alone, and feel encouraged to seek support when needed. 

When asked if he’d ever struggled to express how he felt, Mr. Ruston responded with how it has taken him time to recognize that anger has been the emotion he’s historically felt most comfortable displaying. We discussed how much more motivating anger can feel, but as a secondary emotion, anger usually serves as a protective cover for a more vulnerable emotion like sadness, fear, or hurt. Reflections such as these serve as helpful reminders that observing our thought patterns and behaviour without judgement can be a powerful tool for self-compassion. Processing emotions through methods – like journaling, or talking with a trusted friend or social worker – is necessary for moving towards naming them accurately. 

When asked the same question, Mr. MacDonald reflected on the competitive sports culture of his youth, which didn’t reward emotional availability. This left him feeling ill-equipped to access emotional processing skills when he needed them most in high school. Crucially, he was open about how new he is to speaking about his feelings, noting that “three years ago I never would have volunteered to do this panel.” This served as a powerful example that our emotional comfort and capacity can change. What once felt like an unbearable task became bearable with time.  

Our panel also discussed what makes a supportive friend. Mr. West talked about the necessity of flexibility in friendships. Good friends can offer both direct support (checking in and asking how he’s doing) and provide a welcome distraction, recognizing that his struggle in a moment is only one small part of his identity. A truly supportive individual ensures friends know they can tap into support when needed but that maintaining normalcy in their friendship is often the most welcomed form of support. He then stressed that students should never feel like a burden to their family, friends, or to the Greenwood staff. “A child’s job is to express how they’re feeling without worrying about someone else’s reaction.” Big internal feelings once shared externally, can feel much smaller. He emphasized that no matter how a student is feeling, loved ones want to be there to support them.

Mr. MacDonald reflected on the habits that impact his mental health and he discussed the positive ripple effect of attending to his baseline needs: sleep, nutrition and exercise. Mr. Ruston spoke about the irony of positive habits taken to the extreme. Habits such as taking a break from school work, when done in moderation and for reasons of rest and recovery, is a great idea, but taking a break from schoolwork that’s borne out of avoidance or fear will ultimately be counterproductive. 

Regardless of our identity and lived experience, we all have mental health. On any given day, or at any given moment even, we can land at a specific point on the spectrum of mental health. As they say on the Movember website (and seems fitting after the Blue Jays fall playoff run): “Life can throw us curveballs. Yet even when things seem tough, there’s a lot we can do to look after ourselves and others and learn how to handle whatever life throws at us.” 

To get involved this Movember, feel free to join our Greenwood Team and make a pledge to walk or run 60 kilometres this month, and/or fundraise for the Movember cause. 

And don’t be afraid to start the conversation with friends and family. They might not always show it but teenagers do appreciate talking about mental health.