How To Better Support the Men in Your Life

Mental health is an essential issue for everyone, but it is often overlooked in men. Men are often socialised to keep their feelings bottled up. This can make them reluctant to speak to their friends or partners about their mental illness or seek treatment, making it difficult for those close to them to understand and provide support.

Not dealing with mental illness can affect your relationships in various ways. For instance, it can affect intimacy with your partner, leaving you disinterested in relationships. Men need to open up the conversation about mental health and ensure they feel comfortable seeking help when needed.

Think of your father, husband, son, uncle, or friend, below are a few support options, including the best mental health tips for men that keep it real.

Factors that can lead to male mental health issues

Below are some of the four factors that cause men’s mental health problems:

• Loss of work – The stress of losing a job or the negative stigma associated with unemployment can lead to anxiety and depression. Furthermore, financial hardship from unemployment can also damage one’s health by causing chronic stress.
• Relationship breakdown – A significant change in relationships or living arrangements, such as a divorce, can make you feel isolated, with little self-worth, and can lead to anxiety and depression.
• Financial difficulties – Financial stress can lead to men’s mental health issues. The stress of debt, for instance, can lead to isolation from friends and family and other psychological and physical health problems.
• Trauma – Traumatic events can have a lasting impact on men’s mental health. For example, experiencing combat or being the victim of an assault can increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Mental health treatments

Mental health disorders can be treated with various therapies, depending on the severity and nature of the illness. Different types of treatment include:

• Psychotherapy: This is a type of therapy that involves talking with a therapist to identify and work through any underlying issues that may be contributing to the disorder. In addition, patients learn new coping mechanisms and skills.
• Cognitive behavioural therapy: This approach helps patients understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. They learn to change any negative thinking or behaviour patterns that might contribute to their disorder.
• Interpersonal therapy: It focuses on helping patients improve communication and relationships with others. It can help them identify and work through any issues contributing to their disorder.
• Psychodynamic therapy: It looks at how past experiences might affect current thoughts and behaviours.

Mental health support is evolving along with the increasingly digitised world, and psychiatrists can now deliver treatments online, by phone, and through mobile applications. These online treatment methods may feel safer and more comfortable for men uncomfortable with face-to-face mental health treatments.

In addition to getting mental health treatment, consider your fitness goals. Exercise reduces mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety by releasing the chemicals endorphins and serotonin, which enhance your sense of emotional well-being. Also, you can involve yourself in yoga, shadow boxing, and cross-training classes at the park as a great way of reducing social isolation and making new friends.

Diet also plays an essential role in mental health, and consuming the right foods can help reduce mental health symptoms. For example, eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, fish, low-fat dairy, and getting enough antioxidants has been linked with lower rates of depression.

While many factors cause men’s mental illness, treatment and a couple of mental health tips are essential for better mental well-being. For more information review our blogs and videos.