The Four Words That Could Save Your Mate's Life

Be A Better Mate On May 8


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Today's May 8 - or Mayeight. This campaign, started last year by the legends at the Movember Foundation, aims to get blokes to help combat mental health issues and the feeling of isolation by being better mates.

Triple M is proud to partner Mayeight and asks you to connect with your mates today. Especially those who you've not spoken to in a while. 

Just four words "How you going, mate?" might be the difference to them feeling supported and less isolated. 

With less than half of Australian men saying they don't feel their mates are there for them (even though 70% believe they would always support their mates), there's a huge gap between reality and how men might feel. 

APS relationship psychologist Elisabeth Shaw explains why men suffer much more from social isolation and are therefore more vulnerable to mental health issues:

"The main reason is because men are much more likely to throw their lot in with their partners. In the case of heterosexual relationships, they're much more likely to build their lives around work and their domestic arrangements."

There is also typically less urgency among men to arrange meet-ups with friends. "Men can tend to feel like they can see friends from time to time and pick up where they left off, where women are much more likely to feel like if they don't see their friends regularly, they will lose those friendships."

Shaw also spoke to Triple M News about the importance of finding separate time as well as together time. 

And, crucially, why they feel like in times of real stress they have made themselves so isolated they don't have anyone they can lean on."

Hear the full interview below:

8 May 2017




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