Mental Health and Tradies
More men are paying attention to mental health… (Yes, even those in trades and construction work).
Are you a bloke who’s been told to ‘toughen up’ when you’ve had the courage to talk about a battle you’re having in some area of life? According to some, men are expected to be strong, stoic, tough, and unemotional. But denying the existence of a need doesn’t change that need - just like ignoring a leak in the plumbing doesn’t make it go away.
This tough-guy, one-dimensional view of men’s psychology can be especially prevalent for blokes working in trades and construction.
As a physically punishing job, its quite normal for tradies to stay in shape and discuss physical health and fitness.
On the other hand though, mental health is still not that common a subject of discussion on smoko or at knock off drinks. Showing emotions, crying or talking about mental struggles are not a large part of the tradie culture traditionally.
Looking after your psychological wellbeing or mental health in conjunction with your emotional and physical health is a key component to continuing to be working well and enjoying life outside of work.
Just like working on how much you bench, lift or squat, building emotional strength and mental musculature needs to be a part of the tradie toolbox.
Masculine tradie culture can be deadly
Many places are bucking the trend, but unfortunately, there is still quite an entrenched masculine tradie culture that makes it difficult for men to speak out about their mental health.
There can be a “you’ll be right mate” mentality and a fear of being judged or seen as weak, which has the potentially dangerous impact of causing some men who really need to be heard instead to stay silent about their issues. This toxic aspect of culture that emphasises self-reliance is to a large degree responsible for tradies’ poor mental health.
And it’s also the reason that tradies who come to see us, often only do so once shit has hit the fan.
Some alarming statistics:
· Tradies / construction workers and those in ‘blue collar’ careers, have some of the highest suicide rates in Australia amongst men.
· Construction workers are six times more likely to die through suicide than due to a workplace accident.
· Sadly, 190 construction workers die through suicide each year in Australia.
Why might tradies struggle with mental health?
First off, huge pressure exists for tradies to work extremely hard. Long hours in addition to physically demanding tasks in frequently unforgiving weather and conditions can leave men feeling tired, lonely, burnt out and disconnected from friends, family and themselves. This situation is something psychologists and others describe as having high psycho-social risk factors - a poor work-life balance where consequencescan be severe.
Ignoring this and not dealing with mental health issues can manifest in gambling, greater likelihood of domestic violence, use of alcohol and other drugs, excessive pornography, relationship or family breakdowns and bad financial choices.
Eventually, ‘sucking it up’ and keeping silent can lead men to become anxious, lonely, depressed, angry and even suicidal.
Are you struggling? Talk to someone
Whether it’s a work mate, a trusted partner or friend or even a professional, it is essential to get it off your chest and not to bottle up your issues, your worries and your concerns. Whatever it is, you are not alone in this battle you’re facing - other’s have been there before you, and, with help, they’ve made it through. You can too.
Notice a mate is struggling? Ask R U OK
If you notice a mate at work who could be struggling, make the time to have that difficult conversation with them about how they are feeling and ask if everything is ok. Be part of the conversation about mental health and smashing the stigma that exists within trades and construction culture and workplace.
Far from being ‘weird’, asking how someone is going takes a bit of guts, and, before we got toxically self-reliant, Australia had a strong tradition of mateship and support for one another. Something that is exemplified by those men who fought wars together, and supported each other in trying circumstances. The fact is, when we step out and ask how a mate is, we’re re-setting things to a bit more how they’re supposed to be.
Build your awareness
Knowledge is power, and being aware of mental health conditions, warning signs, symptoms and available support services can be highly beneficial, for you, your work mates and even for family and friends around you.
Change your workload / take some time off
It may be time to address your struggles with your boss, (or, have a good hard talk to yourself if you’re your own boss!). Perhaps taking a break - or a reduced workload - to re-evaluate where you are at and what you can do moving forward to assist with your mental health and wellbeing. We acknowledge this can be extremely difficult, depending on what the culture of your workplace is and how supportive and receptive they may be.
Seek professional help
Don’t wait to hit ‘rock bottom’ to seek professional support.
There are a number of organisations out there that can assist tradies who are struggling with mental health issues and wellbeing.
Early intervention is important– getting help/support early, is the best thing you can do.
If you’re unsure exactly how to go do this, a conversation with your GP can be an awesome starting point. Hopefully they can direct you to the best local service who can provide some support and counselling for men. At Lighthouse Relationships, we have psychologists on our team who have a specialty in men’s psychology and helping tradies (e.g. David Mackay used to be a Roof Plumber before becoming a psychologist on our team - and he’s still a proud and licensed tradie as well as a registered psychologist!)
Helplines:
Mens Line Australia – 1300 78 99 78
Mates in Construction – 1300 642 111
Lifeline – 13 11 14
Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636
Organisations:
HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies)– https://thehaltbrekky.com/
Mates in Construction - http://matesinconstruction.org.au