Taking care of your mental health is essential to looking after yourself. It can sometimes be difficult to talk about the struggles or difficulties that you may be going through.
All health is important – both physical and mental health should be taken seriously. Some steps can be taken in approaching your mental health, allowing you not to keep everything bottled up inside.
Keeping everything close to your chest can cause unwanted feelings of shame and fear – you may even find yourself disconnected from the world. This can be corrected and even avoided by speaking out about your mental health.
Mental health should be prioritized, and men should be able to talk about any mental health issues to the same degree as they would talk about physical health issues.
1. Group Talks
Talking one-to-one can be very daunting and quite difficult, especially if it is someone’s first time doing so. Talking in a group can make it much easier to say as much or as little as you want. Many organizations hold events where anyone can come and talk about their experiences or simply sit and listen.
Attending these events is a huge step forward as it can eliminate the fear and uncertainty of discussing your mental health. Attending these events regularly can allow one’s confidence to grow and a healthy support group to be formed from individuals who can completely empathize with how you are feeling. You may also be able to create meaningful relationships with the individuals you meet – which can form a support group.
2. Meaningful Relationships
The relationships you have in your life can affect how you tackle difficult situations. Meaningful relationships make talking about anything a whole lot easier. Sometimes talking to a group of strangers is not very comforting – hence going to group talks may not help everyone.
Instead, it may be better to turn to the current relationships in your life. There is a stronger sense of trust, making it easier to open up about mental health problems. Talking to a parent, sibling, family member, significant other, or perhaps a close friend are all possible options – these people can help you through your mental health journey.
3. Reject Toxic Masculinity
Toxic masculinity is a major issue regarding men expressing themselves and discussing their mental health. It is a set of gendered standards that have often been acknowledged as causing a detrimental effect on the happiness and health of men.
Society often pressurizes men to act a certain way – this can make men feel like they are not progressing through life as they should. Rejecting toxic masculinity can remove the insecurities of feeling like you are not enough. Instead, men should be encouraged not to compare themselves and told that it is okay not to conform to what society is trying to push as the ideal male.
4. It’s Okay to Seek Help
Seeking help can be daunting, and you might not know where to begin. It is important to understand that seeking help is completely okay; it does not make anyone seem weak or pathetic.
Men can struggle to acknowledge seeking help as a valid response to their mental health concerns. Initial small steps such as contacting your local doctor or a therapist can help. If you are a student, reaching out to your student services can help you obtain counseling or therapy sessions.
5. Create a Safe Space
A safe space is somewhere there is no judgment, and you can speak with ease about absolutely anything. Ensuring you have a safe space is essential when dealing with mental health. A safe space can be a place of solitude, but it can also include people you trust and feel comfortable around.
Feeling ashamed or embarrassed about mental health might worry some, but having a safe space can often eliminate that. Vulnerability should be encouraged – opening up and talking about what is upsetting you or bringing you down is the first step that leads to healing and recovery.
6. Recognize the Symptoms
Mental health symptoms can often be ignored or passed off as having a bad day. It is important to recognize symptoms such as continuously feeling sad, anxious, or even agitated. Other symptoms may include the constant feeling of loneliness, wanting to stay alone, and random sadness.
Staying educated on mental health can allow you to recognize symptoms in yourself and others. It is also necessary to act once these symptoms have been recognized – this may be by reaching out and talking to someone close to you or contacting your local doctor.
