Health and well-being awareness: Movemeber and No-Shave-November

It’s the beginning of November, the morning air is a little crisper, the smell of pumpkin spice is abundant, and many people are putting away their razors, growing out their hair, and exercising. Health and well-being is highly important, and I want to help bring awareness whenever I can.

You may have seen friends posting on social media about participating in Movember or No-Shave-November. I thought you might like to hear a bit of the back story on these organizations and what causes they support. 

Movemeber and No-Shave-November are non-profit organizations that help bring awareness to cancer and mental health in the month of November by challenging us to put away our razors, let our hair grow, and get some exercise. 

Movember encourages men to grow mustaches, and donate to cancer research, and mental health awareness. They have teamed up with The Prevention Institute, and Prostate Cancer Foundation, and give 82 cents of every dollar donated to help fight cancer. If you can’t grow a mustache but still would like to participate, you can also get active and Move for Movember.

No-Shave-November was founded by a family in Chicago after their father had lost his battle with colon cancer. The organization challenges all people to stop shaving and donate the money they would normally be spending on razors or waxing appointments. They have teamed up with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, American Cancer Society, and more to help stop cancer.

This year I have chosen to blend the two together by putting away my razor for the month to support cancer awareness, and taking the Move for Movember challenge for mental health awareness. Join me this November in helping fight cancer, and bringing awareness to mental health.

Below are statistics on cancer and mental health:

Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S.—43.8 million, or 18.5%—experiences mental illness in a given year

18% of the US population (40 million adults) is impacted by an anxiety disorder. Yet only 1/3 seek treatment

6.7% of the US population (15 million adults) is impacted by major depressive disorder.

Depression is the leading cause of disability in the US for ages 15-44

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US, and the rate of suicide is highest among middle aged white men.

We have all been impacted by cancer in one way or another, and it is often tragic. According to the National Cancer Institute an estimated 1,685,210 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2016, and 595,690 will die. Some of the most common forms of cancer are breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colon and rectum cancer, and bladder cancer. 

Dustin Shultz, LMFT. I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, speaker, and adjunct faculty at Azusa Pacific University. I have experience working with teens, men, women, and couples, and have had success with people who are experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, sexuality, divorce, affairs, cutting, grief, shame, stress, and life transitions. I help people live more authentically and embrace life.