By Kylie Spiro, Communications Coordinator, BAMSI
In 2003, two friends were drinking a beer and joking about recurring fashion trends. They discussed the mustache and how it had been absent from recent trends. They joked about bringing it back and decided to talk their friends into growing one. Inspired by a friend’s mother who was fundraising for breast cancer, the two friends started a campaign for men’s health and prostate cancer, with a mustache at the center of the campaign. The concept was simple, grow a moustache during the month of November and pay ten dollars towards the cause. The first 30 mustaches were grown in 2004 with so much enthusiasm that the men decided it was time to formalize the campaign.
Fast forward nearly two decades; Movember has grown at an extraordinary pace and now is in 21 countries. The focus has broadened to four key men’s health issues: mental health, physical activity, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. The concept is to bring about change and encourage men to talk about their health and take action when needed. Dozens of surveys and studies conducted over the past several decades have proven that men, regardless of age or ethnicity, are far less likely than women to seek medical help for problems, including depression, substance abuse, and stressful life events. In fact, recent research by Movember found that 30 percent of men would be reluctant to open up about their problems because they feared putting their jobs at risk.
This research provides further proof that cultural concerns and misconceptions about mental health prevent men from talking about their struggles and seeking help when they need it most. However, Movember’s research shows that over 77 percent of men believe talking about their problems is an effective way to tackle them. That’s why Movember’s Man of More Words campaign is encouraging men to open up more when they are going through hard times.
At BAMSI, we are proud to offer integrated, evidence-based, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, and person-centered support. BAMSI’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) offers an array of mental health resources and services to individuals regardless of age, insurance, ability to pay, or place of residence.
The clinic is open Mondays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays (biweekly), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and by appointment.
To learn more about CCBHC, please call (781)447-6425, or visit https://bamsi.info/CCBHC.
Community Voices for Health 