CMHA recognizes Men’s Mental Health Awareness Day

On June 13, CMHA Ottawa joins organizations across Canada in recognizing Men’s Mental Health Awareness Day. This annual event aims to normalize conversations about mental health issues and reduce the stigma that often prevents men from seeking help.

CMHA recognizes that stigma may make it difficult for men to identify their own mental health and addiction issues.

Signs and symptoms of mental health conditions may present themselves differently in men. Men are more likely to describe their mental health concerns as physical symptoms such as headaches or chronic pain. This link between signs of mental illness and physical symptoms is often unrecognized and leads to undiagnosed, untreated men. As a result, men are more likely to develop schizophrenia at a younger age and four times more likely to die by suicide than women. The highest number of suicides occurring among men occur between the ages of 40 and 60.

To show support, members of the public are encouraged to participate by wearing bright- or lime-green coloured articles of clothing on that day, and use the #MensMHday hashtag on social media.