Did you know…
Just over three out of four suicides (76%) are by men, and that suicide is the biggest cause of death for men under 35? Or that 12.5% of men in the UK are suffering from one of the common mental health disorders?
On top of this, there are studies that suggest men are less likely to access psychological therapies than women for their mental health and that only 36% of referrals to IAPT (Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies) are men.
According to the Men’s Health Forum, this week is “a time to bring awareness to health issues that affect men disproportionately and focuses on getting men to become aware of problems they may have or could develop, and gain the courage to do something about it.”
Men’s Mental Health Week – Stress
Men’s Health Week is of high importance as it shows us the reality of the problem. The British government’s national well-being survey revealed that men report significantly lower life satisfaction than women – with those aged 45 to 59 reporting the lowest levels of life satisfaction and suffering from mental health issues.
In Scotland, uncertainty within the job sector and money worries were some of the stated causes of stress. Meanwhile, a quarter of the survey participants claimed that not having enough money to meet basic needs was a major cause of stress.
The impact of such stress can be seen both physically and psychologically – affecting sleep and creating anxiety as a result of high-stress levels. We also want to mention the fact that there is a global similarity in the given statistics, meaning that men around the world are facing such difficulties with their mental health.
Stress & Mental Health within the Events Industry
We recently came across a statistic which suggests that working in the events has been voted the fifth most stressful job, behind those such as firefighter or paramedic. Additionally, survey results also found that one in three people working in hospitality suffered from poor mental health.
According to an article in Convene, stress factors include communication (stress creeps in as the planner works to meet the expectations of every stakeholder and ensure that the planning process does not devolve into a game of telephone), physical demands & deadlines and their inner critics.
Using Incentive Travel to Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Health
Our CEO, Craig McGee, spoke with Travel Writer, Ramy James Salameh, to discuss how incentive travel can help improve well-being and mental health in the workplace, through CEO’s treating their staff to wellness breaks which will allow them to strategise, clear their minds, and re-energise.
Ways of Handling Stress
The NHS suggests a number of ways to help lower stress levels and improve mental health. They make it clear that the most unhelpful thing someone could do to themselves is to turn to unhealthy habits such as smoking or drinking to help cope with stress. Below are the ten stress busters from the NHS:
We have also added a number of helplines for those who want to speak to someone on an anonymous level:
CALM – Campaign Against Living Miserably: Open 5pm – midnight every day. If you identify as male, you can call CALM on 0800 58 58 58.
Samaritans: Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 116 123 (free from any phone).
SANEline: Open 4.30pm – 10.30pm. Call 0300 304 7000.
The Mix: Open Sunday-Friday 2pm–11pm. If you’re under 25, you can call The Mix on 0808 808 4994.
Switchboard: Open 10am – 10pm every day. If you identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, call 0300 330 0630. Phone operators all identify as LGBT+.
C.A.L.L. – Community Advice and Listening Line: Open 24/7. If you live in Wales, you can call 0800 132 737.
Keep up to date with Panoptic Event’s latest tips, articles and news surrounding important issues like wellbeing and mental health within the events industry via our Resources page , Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram sites.
