A lost job, a death in the family, an unexpected illness, or a relationship breakup: in the big moments, Australians are pretty good at supporting each other.
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But according to men's mental health charity Movember, we still need help to see when someone's wellbeing isn't quite right.
Ahead of the launch of its annual fundraising campaign on November 1, the organisation is asking men to sport the "most important mo" they'll ever grow, to raise funds to help men navigate the increased mental consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.
Statistics published by Movember show almost one-third of Australian men reported increased feelings of loneliness during the pandemic.
More than half the men surveyed said no one had asked them how they were coping.
Movember's global director of mental health and suicide prevention, Brendan Maher, said the research showed men feel anxious and uncertain about the future.
"Many guys are isolated and disconnected from their usual social support networks - and the places where men usually go to have those shoulder-to-shoulder conversations with their mates, like going out for a drink or a bite to eat, watching or playing sport, or going to the gym, have been severely reduced," he said.
"We know men aren't great at asking for, or seeking help at the best of times, so we need to do as much as we can to buffer some of the problems they're facing, now."
In response to the pandemic, Movember hastened publication of its new conversation toolkit simulator: what Mr Maher called a "choose-your-own-adventure" model based on the three recurring scenarios in Movember's research: unemployment, juggling family and work, and being withdrawn.
Funded by previous Movember campaigns, the simulator is based on RUOK's "ask, listen, encourage action, and check in" model.
Mr Maher, a former CEO of RUOK, said the simulator was a roadmap, not a panacea, designed to support people to start what can be tricky conversations.
"Sometimes there can be subtle changes when things aren't right. Maybe someone's not returning calls. Or they're running late when usually they're on time, or they're quick to anger when they're usually not. As guys we're pretty good at being strong and stoic, and they're great attributes to have, but when there's too much bravado we do struggle to cope with key transitional times and crises."
No stranger to transition is former Brumbies prop and Movember ambassador Ben Alexander, who retired from rugby in 2018.
He's grown a moustache every November since 2005.
What started as a bit of fun when he was younger has turned into an important ritual for supporting men's health.
"It's an honour to be involved with Movember," he said.
"For me it's about staying connected with mates and just keep hanging in there. It's been a tough year, but tough times don't last."
