Men’s Mental Health Awareness
Men, This Is For You
June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s a good idea for men, their families, and those who interact with men in the workplace to be aware of the mental health issues that men face today.
Anger is a familiar emotion men express. Anger is an emotion that hides other emotions. Anger can be sparked by frustration, tiredness, inability to cope with people or situations, and feeling overwhelmed or fatigued.
Feeling “down” or depressed is familiar with men. Depression symptoms include sadness, not being interested in activities such as exercise or meeting friends, feelings of isolation, or a perceived inability to measure up to others. It’s important to be aware
that untreated depression can lead to suicidal thoughts.Anxiety is not just familiar with women but also with men. Anxiety symptoms include an increase in heart rate, inability to focus on a task or conversation, digestive problems, and panic attacks.
Men may be prone to cover up their emotions with substances. Addiction symptoms include excessive use of alcohol, drugs, smoking, or vaping. Other addictions include excessive shopping, gambling, fantasy sports, and video gaming. Sexual addictions
include porn, masturbation and engaging in sexual promiscuity.
While these are a few of the mental health issues that men may be dealing with, it’s important to note that men are less likely to talk about what they’re experiencing. This is due to feelings of inadequacy and a desire not to appear in crisis.
If you attempt to talk to a man in your life who you suspect may be dealing with a mental health issue, it’s important to first let him know that you care about him as a person and that you are concerned for his well-being. Ask him questions about what’s been happening in his life. He may not want to talk about what he’s dealing with in great detail, but it’s important to let him know he’s not alone.
Marital or relationship problems can be an area where men experience any or all of the above symptoms. For example, excessive arguing with a significant other can lead to feelings of anger and frustration, anxious thoughts, depression, and an escape into addiction.
It’s very common for a man experiencing serious relationship or marital problems to shut down, experience anger outbursts, or turn to an addiction for comfort. Financial issues can also have similar effects on a man’s mental health.
Here are some suggestions on how to deal with these mental health issues:
Engage in regular exercise. This could be as simple as taking a walk at lunchtime .Taking a break from your work routine is essential to your physical and mental health.
Be sure to get enough sleep. Go to bed at a regular bedtime, don’t drink anything caffeinated after dinner, and put your phone down (or turn it off) an hour before bed. Be aware that drinking more than one alcoholic beverage after dinner will negatively affect your sleep. Your body needs 6-8 hours of sleep per night.
If you’re having trouble with an addiction, you can seek help from a local Celebrate Recovery program. You can find a group near you at https://crlocator.com/
If you’re experiencing a relationship or marital problem that you and your partner cannot resolve, seek help from your pastor or a therapist.
At Light the Way Counseling, counselors can help with men’s and couples’ issues. Our staff is well equipped to handle these and other problems. Feel free to give us a call at 201-444-8103 or find us online at https://lightthewaycounseling.com/
Robert Kaphan, MA, LAMFT
Helping individuals, couples, and families find healing for what has been troubling them. Robert is available in telehealth and in Phillipsburg