Men vs Mental Health: Working Through Gender Stigma
In the past, women did not have the full benefits of society. While this is wrong, it is a shame that now, often, men deal with the brunt of society’s biases. This is clear when looking at the mental health problems men face. Not only do men have harder jobs and work longer hours, but also they are more likely to be involved with substances or come back with mental scars from war. With this in mind, here are five ways men can work through the stigma and find help.
Open hearts: Now, when a man comes to others with a problem, he will end up facing an uphill battle. For starters, other men will often have a hard time admitting their buddy has a problem. To get over this stigma, society as a whole must accept that men feel pain too. When a guy can accept shortcomings of his friends, he will do well and help a man open his heart and feel comfortable.
Male specific: Without a doubt, a man will want to walk in and receive treatment from someone who understands his unique situation. Remember, a lot of men are simply not comfortable talking about their issues in a certain way. However, with a male-centric setup, a man can walk in and work on his issues.
Otherwise, when going to a person who does not specialize in male problems, a man will end up feeling left out and ignored. This is not good as it takes a lot of guts for most men to seek treatment, and they must remain comfortable when walking into the office of his or her therapist. For more information about treatment facilities dedicated to a variety of addictions for men, visit Prescott House.
Use that energy: Some men with mental health problems are bored and turn to drugs or alcohol. To prevent this and encourage a healthy lifestyle, people should try to play sports and get outside often. When a man has a lot of energy and can get it out on the court or field, he will go a long way in getting rid of symptoms. While this is not a miracle fix, it will help a man in his natural settings. Remember, in our modern society, some people do not use their excess energy in a positive way, and they end up causing problems with society at large.
Man only time: In the past, men could go to a local watering hole or play pool in their friend’s basement. However, times have changed, and most men are relegated to a spare room or kicked out of the house altogether. To combat this, a wife or girlfriend should encourage her partner to hang out with friends. With this, a man can work through his problems and do so at his own pace.
Fair divorce court hearings: Now, a man, when in a divorce court, will face a long battle to gain custody. This is unfair in many cases, and some men take the short end of the stick. For this reason, if society at large wants to fix men’s mental health issues, it is wise for people in the court system to change their ways.
Without a doubt, if a man has mental health issues, he should get the needed help. When doing so and taking the time to get to the root of the issue, a guy can go a long way in fixing their mental health issues.