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BLOKES , AND ESPECIALLY TRADIES , AREN ’ T TERRIBLY GOOD AT SEEKING HELP FOR MENTAL-HEALTH PROBLEMS . HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO BREAK THE ( VERY TOUGH ) ICE .
B eing an Aussie bloke means you ’ re strong , tough and self-reliant , right ? Chuck in an easy-going temperament and a larrakin streak and you ’ re all set . Cultural beliefs like these are especially common in the trades , where men often feel pressure to be even more blokey and macho in physically demanding , male-dominated workplaces .
Talking about fears , worries and problems is a definite no-go – let alone concerns about your mental health . Don ’ t worry – she ’ ll be right . It means tradies are a lot less likely to seek help from a medical professional – which can [ doctor voice ] affect your long-term mental health .
SEEKING NO HELP It ’ s a fact that Aussie men seek help for mental-health problems far less than Aussie women . According to a national survey , only 28 per cent of men seek help compared to 41 per cent of women .
Indeed , a big body of research shows that men go to the doctor less than women for pretty much everything – from colds and flu to trouble sleeping , back pain , and alcohol and substance use .
Jeremy Forbes , co-founder of Hope Assistance Local Tradies ( HALT ), a national grassroots suicide-prevention charity , says there ’ s a sense of weakness and vulnerability associated with men talking to doctors , and even their mates , about mental health .
“ The tradie culture of being stoic , macho , strong and silent – of ‘ You ’ ll be right ’, ‘ She ’ ll be right ’ and ‘ Get over it ’ – is so prevalent in the building and construction industry ,” he says . “ It ’ s a massive inhibitor to tradies going and accessing help for their mental health .”
SHE WON ’ T BE RIGHT Construction workers – who , let ’ s face it , are almost always men – are at higher risk of mental-health problems like anxiety and depression than workers in other professions . Men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women , and construction workers are particularly susceptible .
Sticking your head in the sand and not getting help will make mental-health problems worse , says psychologist Carl Nelms from Blokes Psychology . “ The stereotypical masculine idea in Australia is very much centered on selfreliance , so you get tradies who have been trying to cope with whatever it is for so long on their own , which involves a range of unhelpful coping mechanisms that in the long term only make things worse .”
Forbes agrees that the risks of more serious mental-health problems increase the longer you wait before seeking help . “ In a very serious situation , you could go from being a tradie who ’ s suddenly feeling anxious to someone who ’ s experiencing depression , which can lead to thoughts of suicide .”
Thankfully , there ’ s good news : “ The earlier you seek help , the better the treatment outcomes in the long term ," says Nelms .
CHANGING THE CONVERSATION One of the best ways to help reduce the stigma around tradies and mental health is to normalise the ups and downs many of us will experience throughout life . “ A lot of guys who wait a while before seeking help don ’ t realise how common it is – they feel alone and like they ’ re the only ones going through it ,” says Nelms .
“ In Australia , 50 per cent of us will experience mental-health issues at a clinical level at some point in our lives . If you ’ re struggling with some anxiety or lack of motivation or excessive substance use , know it ’ s really , really common .”
Forbes says using this knowledge to look out for your mates and co-workers and start a conversation if something seems a bit off is another effective strategy to help men get help .
“ If a mate is struggling with his finances or his relationship , that ’ s putting him at greater risk of mental-health problems ,” he says . “ Throw in grief , loss , work pressure , sleep problems , bullying , harassment or gambling , and it can add up to poor mental health and people struggling .
“ Instead of thinking ‘ She ’ ll be right ’, do something proactive – suggest they see a doctor and offer to go with them , talk to the medical person if there ’ s one on site , or chat with student wellbeing support if they ’ re an apprentice .” n
HOW TO GET HELP
Feeling stressed , frustrated , angry , isolated or having trouble communicating ? Perhaps you ’ re skipping work or not doing the things you usually enjoy , like exercise or hanging out with your mates . Your GP is a good place to start ; if needed they can put you on a mental-health plan , which subsidises 20 appointments a year with a psychologist .
If a mate does encounter difficulties , it ' s important to support them and make sure you ' ve got their back . There ' s a time to take the p * ss , that that ' s certainly not it !
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