Stigmas can make Mental health a taboo subject, but an expert panel moved the needle so men in the CAF can find the help they need
Personnel Support Programs (PSP) Borden’s Health Promotion team hosted a men’s mental health panel at the Terra Theatre featuring CFB Borden Base Commander Colonel Melissa Ramessar and Formation Chief Warrant Officer Jeremy Peters on 21 November 2024.
Alongside the Command Team, other panelists included acting Base Surgeon Captain David Holbrook, 31 Health Services psychologist Dr. Mengran Xu, Base Chaplain Major Bob Lay and CAF Transition Centre officer commanding Major Rob Bungay.
Together, panelists were given questions from the audience, livestream chat and anonymous submission box following Health Promotion Specialist, Dr. Scott Rollo’s presentation on men’s mental health and resilience.
“From pain masking humor to substance use, to overwork and isolation, struggles are different, but nonetheless, they’re all very real,” Dr. Rollo said. “It’s important that we recognize these differences and view them with openness in a non-judgmental way.”
Resilience and mental health strategies
Given the unique challenges that men face while navigating mental health, Dr. Rollo’s presentation provided some practical and often overlooked strategies for building resilience and improving mental health amongst male CAF members.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Encourage regular physical activity, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep. These healthy habits can have a significant positive impact on mental well-being.
- Promote social connections: Emphasize the importance of maintaining strong social support networks, both within the military community and outside of it. Encourage members to regularly engage with friends, family and support groups.
- Provide mental health education and training: Offer workshops, seminars, or online resources to improve mental health literacy and teach coping strategies. Ensure personnel understand the signs of mental health issues and know how to access support services.
- Encourage help-seeking behavior: Foster an environment where seeking professional help for mental health concerns is normalized and encouraged. Reduce stigma and ensure members feel safe and supported when accessing mental health resources.
- Implement stress management techniques: Teach and promote the use of evidence-based stress management techniques, such as mindfulness, meditation or deep breathing exercises. Provide opportunities for personnel to practice these techniques regularly.
- Offer counseling and therapy services: Ensure that high-quality, confidential counseling and therapy services are readily available and accessible to all personnel. This can include on-site mental health professionals or referrals to external providers.
- Provide leadership training: Educate and empower leaders to recognize the signs of mental health issues in their subordinates and to respond with empathy and appropriate support. Encourage leaders to model healthy coping strategies.
- Foster a culture of resilience: Promote a culture that values mental health, emphasizes the importance of self-care, and encourages personnel to support one another. Celebrate successes and resilience in the face of adversity.
Escaping stigma
According to Dr. Rollo, three times as many men than women die by suicide.
Men are often socialized to be stoic, self-reliant and to suppress emotions which can make it more challenging for men to recognize and express mental health struggles. They may even perceive seeking help as a sign of weakness.
This is particularly challenging given the tendency for men to externalize mental health issues through exhibiting certain behaviours, while women tend to internalize them. While women have higher rates of depression and anxiety, men have higher rates of substance abuse disorders and completed suicides.
Aggravating the issue, men in the military face additional stressors, such as the pressure to maintain a tough, stoic persona, the demands of high-intensity training and operations and the challenges of transitioning to civilian life.
Conclusion
Covering topics from leadership strategies to psychology and spirituality, panelists shared keen insights into their respective fields, often finding intersections between symptoms of poor mental health and a lack of resources and mental health interventions catered to men.
From a leadership standpoint, Col Ramessar offered words of encouragement to members in these roles, encouraging them to lead by example.
“Good leaders, do,” Col Ramessar said. “This is way more powerful than what they say.”
Starting the tough conversation
Building momentum from the initial expert panel, Health Promotion is hosting a series of courses related to men’s mental health that are still open to sign up:
- 27 November – Supervisor Training for Suicide Intervention
- 3 December – Move for Men’s Mental Health
- 9 December – Men’s Mental Health and Addiction
- 10 December – Things Men Don’t Talk About
If you or someone you know is struggling with the burden of mental ill-health, do not hesitate to reach out to a trusted leader, co-worker, friend or family member. The Canadian Forces Member Assistance Program is confidential and available 24/7 at 1-800-268-7708.
Emergency assistance is also available at the Suicide Crisis Helpline: dial 9-8-8.
For more information on men’s mental health and overall wellbeing, please contact PSP Borden’s Health Promotion team at ext.7086 or email BordenHealthPromotion@gmail.com.
