Tackling Mental Health Stigma - My #Movember Post

I'm raising funds for the Movember campaign again this year.

#Movember is working to help men stay mentally healthy, but they can’t do it alone.

Here we go:

In my late teens and early 20s I didn't know what stress was doing to my body. All I knew was to fight stress by fighting back!

As a result, I experienced my first episode of near burnout in my late teens and again in my early-20s. I felt:

• A sharp loss of enthusiasm for things

• Like it was impossible to relax

• Worrisome biological changes (waking up with chronic bodily aches, tightness in the chest, adrenal fatigue, etc.)

Some of these symptoms persisted for a few years before I acknowledged them and took action. I literally did not understand that I was chronically stressed! Can you relate?

Thankfully, I was able to get things under control in a handful of years with the help of great influences and naturopathy. During those years, I learned to (and continue to learn to) :

• Become more self-aware of my mind, body and spirit connection, initially through body scans

• Sense imbalances in my nervous system sooner (sympathetic vs para-sympathetic)

• Build a sleep and fitness routine that worked better for me, not against me

So now:

Today I'm in my 30s and overall I feel much healthier than I did in my 20s, even though I looked stronger and seemed faster back then.

The truth is, I equated good mental health and well-being with “not having meltdowns” and not displaying any emotions other than happiness and neutrality.

In reality, the stress was wreaking havoc on my body and I was unknowingly repressing emotions! I learned that health is much more holistic and interconnected. Can you relate? Let me know in the comment section.

Now what?

I'm one of the lucky and privileged ones who noticed and got support. Not everyone is so fortunate. That's why I'm raising funds for research that’s getting results.

In addition to sharing my story, I had the opportunity of joining a live discussion in French with Colleges and Institutes Canada / Collèges et instituts Canada and Dr. Mélissa Généreux to discuss our perspectives on post-secondary student mental health, especially in the context of the pandemic. To say this is a very complex global issue is an understatement and while we don't have the answers, we shared some promising practices that higher education institutions are moving forward with… en français. ;)

Thanks for reading and reach out if you want to share your story or if you want to talk.

David

P.S. Check out my Movember team and consider donating or even sharing this post with others. You never know who it might help.

P.P.S. If you’re wondering why Movember focuses on men’s health, here’s a snippet from Movember: Movember focuses on men because men’s health is in trouble. Men are dying too young for things that are preventative. Prostate and testicular cancers are on the rise, and will double in 15 years. Men’s mental health has sunk to a devastating low. Half a million men every year take their own life one every minute. Dealing with health and emotions can be challenging for everyone, and society’s expectations of traditional masculinity adds an additional weight and barrier to health. That’s why Movember works with men to live healthier lives. Movember is the only charity tackling these issues on a global scale.