Minds need training too. Get tips and advice

Good mental health is just as important as good physical health when it comes to wellbeing, which is why it is important for young men to know that minds need training too.

Our headcoach campaign provides young men with access to tips and advice from high profile athletes across different sporting codes about how to actively manage their mental health and wellbeing.

Young men experience some of the most serious mental health issues of any group in Australia. One in seven young men aged 16 to 24 experience depression or anxiety each year. Young men are significantly less likely than young women to seek support – only 13 per cent of young men who experience a mental health issue seek help. headspace figures support these statistics, with just 38 per cent of young people who seek help at a headspace centre identifying as male.

Lots of young men don’t know where to start, so headspace has identified seven tips to build and maintain your mental health as part of your everyday:

• Staying connected and spending time with family and friends
• Staying active
• Doing things that are fun or give you a sense of purpose
• Getting enough sleep
• Enjoying a healthy diet
• Learning new ways to handle tough times (meditation, listening to music)
• Cutting back on alcohol and other drugs

The headcoach campaign features high-profile Australian athletes, who share their mental health experiences and provide tips on how they actively take care of their mental health and wellbeing.

Head to the headcoach website to hear from:

• Daniel Arzani (Soccer/Football)
• James Tedesco (NRL)
• Usman Khawaja (Cricket)
• Kurtley Beale (Rugby Union)
• Dale Thomas (AFL)
• Brandon Defina (Esports)
• Tom Boyd (AFL)

At headspace Bendigo, we are celebrating the campaign by hosting a free futsal tournament for young men at Bendigo Futsal Centre on Friday August 17. You can enter a team, or out your name down to join a team by contacting Mitch Dean on 5434 5345.