November is Men’s Health Awareness Month, it’s a timely reminder that men’s health includes mental wellbeing and that it’s a year round issue; an ongoing concern we all should be more aware of.
Many men experience emotional challenges that are often overlooked or misunderstood. Remarks about men “getting grumpy” as they age can dismiss some struggles they may face — including grief, loneliness, a massive sense of loss or health challenges they won’t talk about. We have to remember everyone can struggle, everyone reacts differently, but men have a tendency to bottle it up
Grief can be a major issue and the loss of parents or family members can have a profound impact on anyone’s mental health, but societal expectations can discourage men from sharing their feelings. Sometimes those expectations are entirely in their head, but talking helps overcome that.
Men can feel pressure to stay strong for others, you’re the eldest child so you have to be strong for the family, but that can lead to unspoken pain and emotional withdrawal or can leave him feeling like he’s lost his way. It doesn’t mean depression, but it can mean he feels alone and unable to cope with some of the simpler issues in life because a traditional support network is no longer there. The unspoken pain and withdrawal does not reflect a lack of feeling, but rather the difficulty in knowing how to express himself, because it’s what guys do, they don’t express themselves.
Equality in mental health means acknowledging that everyone’s emotions are just as valid and deserving of care as anyone else’s. Misandry and stereotypes that label men as unemotional or detached only make it harder for them to heal. Unhelpful comments like ‘man up’, ‘grow a set’, ‘snap out of it’, ‘move on’, or ‘get a life’ amongst others, certainly don’t help because they elevate that feeling of failure, of inadequacy.
Men’s Health Awareness Month reminds us that compassion, understanding, and open conversation can help everyone process grief and reconnect with the people and things that once gave their life meaning and can do once again.
Be aware, Be compassionate, Be there to encourage him to talk and for you to listen.
