Connecting for Men's Health

This week, 14-20 June, we celebrate Men's Health Week with the theme ‘Connecting for Men's Health’ and focusing on what it means to have a team.

Good health is about being the best you can be in your situation. It’s important to prioritise all aspects of your physical, emotional, social, and mental health by staying connected to a team of people who care about you and your wellbeing, and seeking support early if something doesn’t feel right.

What’s a team and why do I need one?

A team is a group of people who are all working together towards a common goal: supporting you. They have your back, can build you up and be there for you through good times and bad, and can fill any gaps when you need support.

Depending on your own personal circumstances, you’ll need a variety of people, services, and information at different times. Your teammates can help to support your physical, emotional, social, and mental health.

Who should be on my team?

It’s important to have a good team of family members or friends who you can rely on, and it’s also worthwhile to include health or medical professionals who can assist with maintaining your health and wellbeing, and preventing smaller problems from escalating. During challenging times, drawing on the support of a familiar health or medical professional can provide you with the comfort and confidence to manage things more easily.

Physical, mental, and social health are all connected, and there are ways you can build you team to support these important areas:

Physical health

Looking after your physical health is important and includes everything from making healthier food choices and staying physically active to getting better sleep. Teammates who can help you look after your physical health may come from among your friends and family, sporting clubs or associations, colleagues, personal trainers, and medical professionals like dieticians, physiotherapists or your GP.

Mental health

If you’ve been feeling irritable, down, worried, nervous, tired or avoiding people or places that used to make you happy, there are lots of people and services that you can add to your team to support your mental health. These include a trusted friend or family member, doctor, counsellor, psychologist, or online and phone support services such as MensLine or Lifeline.

ACU’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can provide a comfortable and private space to talk confidentially without pressure. A fully qualified trained professional will listen without judgment or consequence and you set the focus of the sessions. AccessEAP can also offer coping strategies and tips if wanted or needed.

To arrange a free and confidential EAP session, contact AccessEAP on 1800 818 728 to book an appointment with a clinician.

Social health

Staying socially connected with your team is more important than you may think. Catching up in person is great – whether through organised activities or groups, or just spending quality time with friends and family. As 2020 has shown us, phone, email and chatting online can equally help to keep you connected to your team even if you can’t connect in-person.

So, who’s on your team?

Visit the official website for more information on Men’s Health Week.