Movember urges men to talk about mental health on World Suicide Prevention Day
On World Suicide Prevention Day today (10 September), Movember, a charity dedicated to changing the face of men’s health, is urging men to talk about their mental health issues and challenges in the ‘Man of More Words’ campaign.
Bryant Wood for Movember's World Suicide Prevention Day
The campaign was produced with Ad Council Edge, the Ad Council’s new strategic consultancy. In a series of videos, male celebrities and content creators speak openly about their feelings and mental health experiences to encourage other men to do the same.
The new videos and social content feature personal stories from actors, musicians and creators Jordan Fisher, Scott Sire, Matt Santoro, Logan Henderson, Jonathan Bennett and Raymond Braun, along with Bryant Wood, Matt King, Justin Mikita and Eric Bigger.
"I hope that by opening up, other men will be encouraged to talk about what they’re going through,” said Fisher. “An individual that was part of the gaming community was lost to suicide and it really hit close to home. We need to make sure there's a space for everyone to be heard, so they can get the support they need."
According to Movember's research, more than one-third of men in the US say they have not talked about their feelings for fear of being perceived as less 'manly'. This is despite the fact that the majority of men (77%) say they believe talking to others is an effective way to deal with problems.
“Many men throughout the country suffer in silence, in large part due to social and cultural pressures and outdated stereotypes of what it is to be a man,” said Mark Hedstrom, executive director, Movember US. “We have to change that - we’re losing too many dads, fathers, brothers, partners and friends. This campaign features authentic and relatable personal stories to break the stigma and empower men to be a man of more words.”
The campaign encourages people to visit Movember.com and post on social with #movember and #ManOfMoreWords hashtags, and to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741).
