AFL players and coaches to open up about mental health

[Chris_B]

beyondblue is proud to announce a landmark media partnership with Channel 7 to promote the national Man Therapy campaign during AFL matches.

Man Therapy is an Australian-first campaign that encourages men to look after their mental health and keep an eye out for their mates.

The new partnership will work to reduce Australia’s shocking male suicide rate, which sees almost 2000 males take their own lives each year, double the number who die on Australian roads.

beyondblue Chairman Jeff Kennett AC said by talking about mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety during the footy, it will reduce stigma and encourage men to seek support if they are struggling.

“This partnership is the first of its kind for beyondblue and will ensure millions of AFL fans across the country are exposed to important messages promoting good mental health,” he said.

“Men often don’t take action to tackle depression and anxiety because they see these conditions as a weakness and think that seeking support is a sign of failure.

“However, by partnering with Channel 7 and its AFL broadcasts, we will be going right into the homes of Aussie men to tell them that nothing could be further from the truth.

”This partnership will help us show men that mental health conditions are common and can affect even the toughest blokes, and that people are often amazed at how much better they feel once they seek the appropriate support.”

“By reaching men during prime time AFL games and using some of the nation’s best-loved footy personalities to tell their own personal stories, this partnership will break down barriers and drive home the message that mental health conditions are nothing to be ashamed of.”

Throughout the AFL season, Channel 7 will feature real-life stories during the games, where both past and present players and coaches will share their experiences with mental illness in their lives and how they overcame it.

The impact depression can have on men was highlighted this week when Mitch Clark retired from football due to his depression.

People who want to get behind the campaign will be able to contribute directly to beyondblue during the beyondblue Cup on July 26 between Hawthorn and Sydney.

The Seven Network’s Head of Sport Saul Shtein said; “We are privileged to be working with beyondblue. Telling the stories of AFL people affected by mental illness will be a powerful way to deliver such an important message about the community’s health.”

[White_Rose]

This is a terrific initiative by BB.  I'm sure it will bring the message to many men and persuade them to seek the help many need.

Now how about a similar campaign for women?  Too often women are dismissed as being hysterical, attention seeking or just the weaker sex.  Look at the posts on this web site and how many women find themselves dismissed by partners, doctors, colleagues, friends because they are perceived as "too emotional". 

Fortunately for many women they do talk to each other but there is still little recognition of their needs in the general community and so many women slip through the cracks.  I am not sure what the statistics are for female suicide, but whatever they are it's too high.

So can you please start planning for a women's campaign.

White Rose

[Chris_B]

Hi White Rose,

Thanks for the feedback. The need for a women's campaign is an extremely valid point, and is one that concerns us here at bb.

Over the last few years there has been a bias in funding towards preventing male suicides, which are alarmingly high.  Women are far more likely to actively seek information on depression and anxiety, identify it early and seek help.  So although the incidence of depression and also anxiety is higher statistically in women, women are less at risk due to constructive, early help-seeking.  

With men, we’ve had to put considerable work into bringing down stigma and making the issues more accessible.  Thus Dr Brian Ironwood, Man Therapy and the AFL.

Our recent Anxiety campaign got the ball rolling by raising the issues you describe, that women can be dismissed for discussing very real symptoms.  By discussing the top five most experienced anxiety symptoms, our Anxiety campaign validates those as treatable conditions and the response from women and men (but mostly women) has been extremely high.

It's an ongoing challenge to ensure we engage women and ‘match’ external funding with internal effort to achieve this.  We are aware of the need to rebalance towards women and you can expect to see more in that space over coming years.  Suggestions always welcome, so thank you.

If you're not a member already, you may be interested in joining our blueVoices group, which we use to inform our work ongoing.

[geoff]

dear Christopher, this is terrific, I wonder whether channel 7 has donated Beyond Blue their time on telly, I would probably think not, money talks all languages, but please why Hawthorn and Sydney, we could have had a rattle to see who Richmond plays, a real game. Geoff.

[White_Rose]

Dear Christopher

Thanks for your reply.  I suspect many women do not seek help because of the family and community attitudes they encounter.  They try hard to manage and also they do talk to other women, but getting any kind of professional help is beyond them.  If the family does not approve, a women is more likely to give up.

There are two reasons why it is important to make help easily available to women and reduce the stigma. 

1. The person needs all the help they can get for their own personal health.  Bear in mind also that the mother of a family carries a far greater load than dad in many instances and this also affects her health and coping mechanisms.
2. Mom is a role model for her children.  Daughters are more likely to identify with her and the way she copes with depression or any other health problem which means the reluctance to seek for help is perpetuated.  Sons will more likely follow dad's attitudes towards women experiencing difficulty and perpetuate that attitudes in their own families.

Now I know that is a gross generalisation but there is enough truth in the second point to demonstrate a need for action.  Parents are role models, both good and bad. Help given to both parents will affect the way the children see the world, conquer their prejudices and look beyond stereotypes.

Perhaps any further campaigns can target attitudes towards women with mental health problems.  Point out they do not do this for attention, because they are weak or lazy, or because it's the only claim to fame they have.  Perhaps ask the question, "How will your children manage if they have mental health problems?".

Thanks for providing this opportunity for me to get on my soapbox.

White Rose

[White_Rose]

One more thing I meant to say.

The men's campaign asks men to look out for their mates.  Great.  How about asking men to look out for their wives and daughters?

White Rose