Source: Movember – The Real Face of Men’s Health (2025)
The impact of men avoiding support rarely stays contained. Movember’s 2025 data shows that men avoiding support increases the pressure on women and families who step into the caregiving role.
1. How Men Avoiding Support Affects Women, Families, and Everyday Life
Movember reports that 68% of caregivers for men are women, and these women experience higher emotional, psychological, and physical strain than male carers.
- 65% report ongoing worry or anxiety
- 60% report a decline in their own mental health
This isn’t because women are “more emotional”. It’s because the load is heavier when a man is struggling but has nowhere else to turn.
2. Why Men Avoiding Support Overloads GPs and Delays Care
The same report shows:
- Men’s mental health is the 4th most common reason they see a GP
- Nearly half of GPs say men hold back on discussing sensitive issues
- 46% of GPs say they simply don’t have enough time with male patients
GPs are trying — but the system is strained, and men often arrive without the language or confidence to speak clearly about what’s going on.
3. Why Mentoring Helps Men Seek Support
One of the underestimated benefits of men’s mentoring is this:
It gives men practice in naming what they’re facing.
When this becomes normal in conversation, the barrier to speaking with a GP drops dramatically.
Men who’ve had space to talk through:
- What they notice
- What’s shifting
- What they’re worried about
…walk into medical or mental-health appointments with more clarity and less fear of being judged or dismissed.
Mentoring doesn’t replace a GP or psychologist.
It prepares men to use these services earlier, more effectively, and with more confidence — easing the pressure on partners who often feel like the only point of emotional contact.
4. The Impact for Families When Men Avoid Seeking Support
When men get steady support:
- Women carry less invisible labour
- GPs can focus on what’s actually happening
- Families experience fewer crises
- Men stay healthier — physically and emotionally
The burden doesn’t fall on one person. The load is shared.
Practical Meaning for Perth Men (and the people who care about them)
If you’ve been waiting for “the right moment” to speak to someone, this research shows the cost of staying silent is rarely yours alone.
Men avoiding support stops being private. It becomes a choice that lands heavily on the people around them.
Talk it through.
It’s one of the simplest ways to steady yourself — and lighten the load for the people around you.