Men’s mental health: Surge in Perth men seeking help from St John of God outreach services

The number of Perth men seeking mental health support through St John of God’s outreach services has more than doubled in two years, prompting calls for more early intervention for new dads. Male referrals, across SJOG Health Care’s Raphael centre for post-natal anxiety and depression, walk-in Medicare Mental Health centres and Mental Wellbeing Services, increased from 498 in 2023-24 to 1212 in 2024-25. Director of community mental health services Naomi Boyd said while this represented significant growth, stigma that prevented many others from not seeking help remained. “Often they will say they don’t want to seek help, there is a fear of judgment, of being seen as a failure, because the belief is men have to handle everything and that they can’t ever struggle or feel low . . . they have to be the strong providers,” she said. “We now have this responsibility to actually help tear down those walls and support men and their wellbeing, and that’s what we’re trying to really do now, is start opening those doors and saying, it’s okay.” Among those seeking help were new dads, who had never held a baby until their own was born and were struggling to adapt to the new reality, and elderly men who had struggled in silence their entire lives. “Nothing can fully prepare you for the responsibility that suddenly comes with having a newborn,” Ms Boyd said. “All those new emotions that arrive, it’s this lack of control, and no matter how excited you are. “We find that for a lot of men, it’s the harsh reality of suddenly having someone rely on you for absolutely everything, while you still have to support your partner, look after yourself, and keep going at work. It’s not an easy adjustment.” Ms Boyd said while there was a lot of support for new mothers, it was not as socially acceptable for dads to admit they were struggling. “We need to get messaging out there that for men and for their mental health, a strong man is one who’s not afraid to admit that he needs support. “We have no issue talking about how we maintain and improve our physical health. We don’t talk about building resilience, looking after yourself, developing coping strategies. “That’s not a weakness. That is something absolutely every single person should be doing.” The Medicare Mental Health Centres offer free advice, support and short-to-medium term treatment for adults experiencing mental health concerns. The centres, supported by funding from the WA Primary Health Alliance through the Australian Government, operate in Midland, Armadale, Mirrabooka and Gosnells. Ms Boyd said the fact the centres offered a walk-in service made them more appealing for people who needed them.