Preconception of men's mental health
In recent years there has been a shift in focus onto men's mental health and has been brought into the forefront but there are still many old fashioned perceptions on this topic and I believe it is time to discuss men's mental health. There has been a stigma since time began that men should not share their emotions and should 'man up' but these have become old fashioned and outdated phrases; men should be encouraged to talk about their emotions more often and should not have to bottle up their emotions. This is a very important topic that is vital as suicide is the top cause of death in men under 50 but only 19.7% of men had contact with mental health professionals in the year leading up to suicide. These are heartbreaking statistics and much more needs to be done by everyone to play a role in the prevention of the number of mental illnesses which plague men around the world.
Recent changes in perspectives on men's mental health
Recently there has been a change in the perspectives of Men's mental health as there has been more of a focus in this area especially on social media with the likes of Jordan Peterson and after Paddy Pimblett's win at UFC London in 2022 bringing men's mental health into the forefront and shedding much needed light on the problem. This is needed as the exposure that these people bring to this pivotal issue means that men feel more comfortable with doing something that until now was considered weak.Changing these perspectives is the most important thing when considering mental health as people need to be able to come forward and discuss issues without the feeling of being judged or mocked. Also more needs to be done on social media to prevent trolls from abusing people and causing hostility by using a platform that is made to be shared by everybody. Also there is more exposure for people online and on TV programmes such as Love island, this has shown to be detrimental to some people as there have been a number of cases of suicides from previous competitors such as Mike Thalassitis, so more needs to be done on training and preparing these celebrities for life after a rapid rise to fame. However Tyson Fury is an ambassador for mental health as he has discussed his troubles with Mental health, these people are seen as role models and more people who have suffered previously should be encouraged to share their stories to help people who are struggling but may not know where to turn.
Who can men turn to?
People need to start communicating more clearly with each other when it comes to mental health. Ask your friends how they are. Check in on family and friends regularly. If you are in need of help or struggling talk to someone, there is always someone that will talk to you and listen to your problems or be a shoulder to cry on when you need them. There are also many professional bodies that know how to help 24/7 .
Samaritans are free to use and have 20,000 volunteers who will listen to any problems day or night and receive a call every 10 seconds in the UK. They are reputable and do a vital service to people that need it the most. The other 2 are charities which help men who suffer from depression and other mental health issues. You can also speak to therapists and people who may be in a similar position to you. These services are great and more and more people are finding out about these and they are saving lives.
Overview
I believe that this particular problem with men's mental health is one of the most or if not the most important topic as of today as suicide should not be affecting as many people as it is. There are endless reasons for mental health and although we can't solve the problem for every individual we can discuss and co-operate to work round the problem and make sure everyone realises there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that suicide is not an option. I know each of will play a role at some point in helping a friend, family member or stranger and it is our duty as a community and a human being to make sure the number of fatalities decreases to 0.
Samaritans: 116 123
Comments