Researchers at the University of British Columbia have launched a new website devoted to men's mental health, with the hope that it helps guys to connect with each other and build out support networks.
John Oliffe, a registered nurse and the founder and lead of UBC’s Men’s Health Research program, has been exploring the unique barriers men face in accessing mental health supports since 2005. At the beginning of his research, Oliffe says he was mostly interested in the clinical side of things.
Why, he asked, are men four times more likely to die by suicide than women when they are diagnosed with depression at about half the rate?
Part of the answer, Oliffe found, lies in how depression is screened for. He said it is common for men who are going through a difficult time to be more irritable, angry or impulsive and to lean on drinking and substance use. These aren't symptoms clinicians typically check for though, Oliffe said, so many men go undiagnosed and untreated.
Creating change on that front is important, but more recently Oliffe has refocused some of his attention towards implementing more preventative measures. The launch of his program's website, InGoodCompany, is an effort to get men talking about mental health with their friends and make sure they have supports in place before they reach a crisis point.