How to Make MO Friends as a Grown Man

How can we keep men healthy? Make sure they have a good group of friends.

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Movember started off in 2003 in my hometown of Melbourne, Australia. As it grew faster than we could imagine, I remember thinking I’m going to give up my friends and family to leave and raise awareness about men’s health around the world. This happened in 2007 when I moved to the U.S. Like anyone who lands on American soil, you have the idealistic view that this is the land of hope and dreams, what no one tells you is that it can also be a land of loners. This was an exciting phase in my life but a very lonely time as I was in Los Angeles with no one I knew to share it with. I only had my moustache to keep me company as I struggled to make friends. I poured myself into work and thought friends will come along the way…I was wrong. I had to make an effort to make friends and that’s not easy for most blokes.

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Making new friends is tough even if you’re keen, as you don’t want to come off as creepy.

I was lucky to count on Mo Bros and Mo Sistas as my friends. The moustache was definitely a conversation starter and that remains true to this day. Eventually, I got a good set of mates who I can catch up with and have some banter… but if you took that all away and asked me to go out now and make new ones, I’m not sure where I would even start. I think it’s harder than ever before. Everyone’s more focused on their phones than the people around them. Making new friends is tough even if you’re keen, as you don’t want to come off as creepy.

A major study funded by the Movember Foundation showed that overall a million Australian men aged between 35 and 54 are at the greatest risk of isolation and have a higher risk of mental health problems, even suicide.

This is exactly why we’ve teamed up with VICE and created a video which shows a man on a mission to make new friends in a non-harassing way. What’s this got to do with men’s health? A major study funded by the Movember Foundation showed that overall a million Australian men aged between 35 and 54 are at the greatest risk of isolation and have a higher risk of mental health problems, even suicide. Put simply, having friends benefits your mental health. As life gets busier and work and family commitments take over, men don’t feel like they can talk to their mates about what they’re going through. Your mates should be able to rely on you and that should work the other way round too. Strengthening our social circles could be the first step in taking action and speaking out. One in four of us could have a mental health problem at some point in our lives. It’s ok to talk about what you’re going through as someone you know might be facing the same problem. Stay healthy, stay connected.

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Find out exactly why having good friends is great for your health by watching “how to make friends as a grown-ass man.”