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B® OPINION IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SUPPORT MOVEMBER STATS HIBHLIGHT THE NEED TO FOCUS "MORE ON MEN'S CANCERS AND MENTAL HEALTH, WRITES MCGREGOR MELANIE MCGREGOR Column - November is almost over, and along with the dominance of all things pumpkin spice has come Movember and the chance to support initiatives fo- cused on men's cancers and men's mental health and suicide prevention. There are a number of facts and stats that high- light the need fora focus on men's mental health, in- cluding the following: « Men are more likely than women to develop schizophrenia at a younger: age. » Men have higher rates of addiction than women, which may be related to mental health problems. « Men are four times more likely than women to die by suicide. Also, men face some unique barriers when it comes to recognizing, talk- ing about, and seeking sup- port for mental health problems, including: « Men may be socialized to be "tough," leading to them being reluctant or not knowing how to talk about their feelings be- cause they mistakenly be- "lieve that it makes them weak. Expressions like "man up" and "boys don't cry" don't help on this front either. « Men may not be re- - minded as much about the importance of self-care. It's typical for women to think about and be encouraged to care for themselves and have a balance between work and home, but not al- ways so much for men. A friend once told me about how he was ridiculed for taking a yoga and medita- tion class - he was told he had to "hand in his man card" - whereas women are often praised for doing sim- ilar things for their health. « Mental health prob- lems may look and feel dif- ferent for men. For exam- ple, men experiencing de- pression and anxiety are more likely to experience anger and conflict and en- gage in risky behaviour and/or substance use. The men themselves and oth- ers around them may not recognize these as possible signs of a mental health problem. « Men are generally less likely to seek help for men tal health problems. While they may go to their doc- tors and talk about their headaches, shoulder pain, and upset stomachs, they are less likely to discuss any 'emotional symptoms that, coupled with the physical symptoms, might signal a mental health problem that needs atten- tion. What can you do if you are concerned about a man in your life? First of all, ask about it. Talk about chang- es you've noticed and listen without judging or jump- ing to fix the problems. Al- so discuss next steps for seeking support - maybe a visit to a doctor or counsel- lor or trying a new coping strategy might help. And keepin touch - a phone call, text, or coffee meetup can go a long way to show your support. If youre concerned about someone in your life and aren't sure how to help, reach out and get some support and guidance for yourself. Call our office at | 1-877-693-4270. Melanie' McGregor is the communications and advancement specialist at the Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Region Branch, which provides mental health addiction community sup- port and education. Visit www. halton.cmha.ca for more information and follow @cmhahalton on Twitter. Julie's Hair Design 1] 5 Al > 2 PUTTING AN END T0 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN SUPPORT THOSE IN CRISIS DURING WOMAN ABUSE PREVENTION MO CARM B0OZZO Column Halton Women's Place will be mobilizing our community to ensure ev- eryone is educated, aware and willing to help put an end to violence against women. Now in its seventh year, OAITH's (Ontario Associa- tion of Interval and Tran- sitional Housing) Wrapped inrCourage Cam- paign invites all Ontarians to show their support by purchasing a purple scarf from their local women's shelter. The campaign highlights that the cour- age of a woman alone isnot enough. 'Halton Women's Place. plays a vital role for survi- vors, through our pro- grams and services. Hav- NTH, WRITES BOZZ0 tween staying in a harmful situation or having a chance at freedom. Last year alone, Halton Women's Place provided service to more than 500 women and their children, through our residential and community outreach programs. In addition, we responded to more than 2,500 crisis calls. "Whether it's a friend, loved. one, co-worker or neighbour, we all know women who've suffered . from men's use of violence, harassment or control. Sadly, for women and chil- dren, these men are close- ly known to them. "When we all know someone who has either survived or lost their life to gender-based violence, let that be the wake-up call to do your part and be a part OPINIONS of the solution," said Mar- lene Ham, OAITH execl- tive director. Since.1990, OAITH has tracked close to 800 media reports of women mur- dered by men closely known to them in Ontario. As we prepare to release the numbers for this year, we are reminding every- one that violence contin- ues to be the greatest gen- der-inequality rights issue fog womeh and girls. Halton Women's Place not only has purple winter scarves, but also fashion plaid scarves; men's ties, thanks to Jeff's Guy Shop; beaded Courage bracelets, created by glamjulz; dog bandanas; and Fox 40 whistles. Wear your purple items with pride, knowing you are supporting your local women's shelter and the women and children who access services every day. They also make great Christmas gifts for family, friends and teachers. Each gift comes with a special tag that will explain the importance of the gift. You can purchase any of these "items at haltonwomen- splace.com/shop. These items will sell out quickly! Carm Bozzo is the man- ager of development and communications for Hal ton Women's Place. ing access to a VAW (vio- SIGN UP FOR OUR lence against women) WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT shelter or program can mean the difference be- INSIDEHALTON.COM Japanese Permanent Straightening - Make your hair shiny, silky smooth & straight ~20 Years Experience Balayage - beautiful and natural looking, gradual transition of colour Highlights & Colour Digital Wave Perm Designed Cuts & Styles for Men & Women for a modern & more natural style By Appointment Only! Julie Chang 416-558-7071 6102 '82 JaquianoN 'Aepsiny] | uoidwey) ueipeued uo | £l woa uojjeyapisul