Men's mental health: let's talk about it

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MEDIA RELEASE
11 November 2016
Embargo: 11:30 am (Canberra Time)
122/2016

Men's mental health: let's talk about it

Around 1.5 million Australian men aged 18 years and over (17 per cent) had a self-reported mental or behavioural condition in 2014-15, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Dr. Paul Jelfs, ABS General Manager of Population and Social Statistics, said that the most common mental or behavioural conditions for Australian men were anxiety-related conditions and depression, with the same proportion of men reporting either of these conditions (both 10 per cent).

"It's important to get more men talking about how they're feeling, with suicide being the leading cause of death for men aged 15 to 44 years in 2015," said Dr Jelfs.

"As physical health, financial and family stressors can all impact men's mental health, it is important to stay in contact with people who are going through a stressful time."

In 2014, 60 per cent of men experienced personal stressors that had affected them, their family, or a close friend. Around 21 per cent of men had experienced a serious illness, 19 per cent reported a death of a family member or close friend, 17 per cent were unable to get a job, and 11 per cent experienced a divorce or separation.

"Looking at overall life satisfaction we see that it varies across different groups of men," said Dr Jelfs. "For example, average life satisfaction is relatively high for men who have children living with them (with an average rating of 7.6 out of 10) but lower for men with a self-reported mental health condition (6.4), unemployed men (7.0) and single fathers (7.0)."

Further information can be found in the below publications, available for free download from the ABS website: https://www.abs.gov.au. Crisis help-lines

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

Kids Helpline (for young people aged 5 to 25 years): 1800 55 1800