AUSTRALIA faces a sobering reality as nine lives succumb to suicide daily, with seven being men, according to ABS statistics.
Chemist Warehouse (CW) has supported men's mental health non-profit Gotcha4Life Foundation (G4L) since 2017 with an annual Men's Health Month promotion donating sales from selected brands to G4L.
The pharmacy brand also sells 'Mateship' wristbands at checkout counters, with proceeds going to G4L. L'Oreal Paris Men Expert and Gillette are also brand supporters.
Yesterday, CW hosted an event in Sydney with G4L to discuss men's mental health, featuring G4L founder Gus Worland (pictured left).
Alongside G4L ambassador Cam Merchant and mental health advocate Tarang Chawla (pictured right), the event aimed to amplify awareness about mental fitness and foster open dialogue.
Merchant courageously bared his soul, reflecting on a time when even the simplest tasks felt insurmountable due to mental health struggles.
"Can you raise your hands if you put your pants on this morning?" Merchant asked.
"There was a stage unfortunately in my life where mentally and emotionally I couldn't put my pants on, I had reached rock bottom."
Chawla, profoundly affected by the loss of his sister to domestic violence, underscored the importance of self-care amid his own advocacy work.
Worland stressed the imperative for men to initiate conversations about mental health and seek support, remarking, "men do want to have that difficult conversation about a mental health challenge they are facing but don't know how to start it".
"How many actually have the guts to be vulnerable to say 'I need help'?" Worland enquired.
In a society where stereotypes stifle vulnerability, all three speakers urged courage in speaking out and destigmatising mental health issues.
Worland highlighted G4L's resources for emotional resilience called mental health fitness gym sessions, while Merchant emphasised the power of listening without judgment.
"One of the ways to open such conversations is to do it yourself by offering your own vulnerability and speaking about an issue you may be facing," Worland said. JG
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