Hugh Norriss

Why do we need to focus on men’s wellbeing and mental health in New Zealand?

Many men in New Zealand are healthy and have high levels of wellbeing. However overall, New Zealand men are:

• More likely to die from physical assault injuries

• Much more likely to die by suicide

• Much more likely to suffer work related injury

• More likely to smoke tobacco

• Have lower life expectancy

• More likely to be killed or injured in road accidents

• More likely to experience substance addiction problems

• More likely to resort to violence, including in family situations

These health and safety imbalances between men and women are in major part the result of social expectations that men will be “masculine”, aggressive, adventurous and strong, but never ask for help.

Another problem is that health services do not align well with men’s needs and motivations, so men do not always use them when they should. Problem behaviours that lead to poor health and safety outcomes are driven by how men think about themselves. Poor wellbeing can lead to negative thinking habits which drive problem behaviours that affect health negatively.

There is a significant opportunity in a country the size of New Zealand, which doesn’t have an existing central government men’s health strategy, for men to get together and lead initiatives to help and encourage each other be physically well and mentally healthy.