The main hallway of Mount Royal University which is normally busy with people is now empty causing a feeling of being alone. (Connor Spivak, CMRU.ca)
Sensitive Content warning: this blog mentions suicide
November is men’s heath awareness month with November 19th being international men’s day. The goal of men’s heath awareness month is to bring awareness to issues men face like mental health, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. With mental health being something that does not get talked about a lot especially for men it can be hard to reach out.
Mental Health
Globally, on average one man dies by suicide every minute of every day. With such a high number of Suicides it is hard to get rid of the idea that men do not face the same challenges as women do. Nearly 1 in 10 men experience some form of depression or anxiety but less than half seek treatment.
Symptoms of mental health
- persistent sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
- extreme fatigue or lack of energy
- sleep disturbances (too much or too little sleep)
- loss of interest in once-enjoyed activities
- suicidal thoughts or self-harm ideation
Cancer
There are two types of cancer that only men will get: Prostate and testicular. Prostate cancer is most common in men over 45. as men get older the risk for prostate cancer gets higher, it is better to reach out early to your doctor to make sure you are safe. The risk of prostate grows even more if you have a family member who has had prostate cancer; the risk grows even higher if your mother or sister had breast or ovarian cancer. Testicular cancer has a different age range compared to prostate, instead of the young end being 45 the common age is 33 years old but it is also common between the ages of 15 and 45.
How to check for testicular cancer
- warm up in a steamy shower. This relaxes and loosens your nuts, getting them ready to be checked
- with your thumb and finger, roll one testicle to get to know what’s normal for you. check for any changes or anything painful.
- repeat with the other nut
Symptoms and signs
- swelling or sudden fluid build-up on your scrotum
- lump or swelling in either testicle
- feeling of heaviness in your scrotum
- dull ache in your groin or lower abdomen
- pain or discomfort in your scrotum or a testicle
- a shrinking testicle
if you notice any of these symptoms do not panic they can occur with other conditions, still you should schedule a visit with your doctor.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis don’t be afraid to reach out.
Call or Text 9-8-8 if you are having suicidal thoughts and if you feel your life is in immediate danger call 9-1-1.
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