Society has conditioned many people into thinking that many activities are exclusively for specific genders only. These activities include recycling, painting, shopping, gardening, and practicing wellness. Yes, society has even assigned something beneficial to your overall health a gender, which is why it’s primarily women who are more health-conscious.
Of course, these standards and gender stereotypes are slowly becoming part of the past, where they should be. Health experts now use better and healthier conversations to talk about wellness as a practice designed for a specific gender. More men are becoming more conscious of their well-being, specifically their mental health. And these conversations need to become more mainstream as men’s health matters too.
Men’s Well-being Matters
More men are changing the norms and have been more honest about their mental health. Their attitudes toward a topic they used to avoid or shy away from has shifted into something more open in recent years. As these conversations reach more people, it’s becoming apparent why more men should join this growing change.
More men are now active in participating in conversations about mental health, causing better access to therapists with more available services. Some health professionals have even adapted how they provide treatment to men to cater to their sensibilities and personalities. They follow this approach since many men might still be hesitant about opening themselves up. Now that more science backs the connection between gut health and mental health, counseling services and psychiatric tests align with some physical health tests and other health services like IBS clinical trials for men. The tides are starting to change, and it needs to continue into the future.
Men’s Well-being Is Important
Society has dictated that there is only one way to be masculine: for men to be dominating and aggressive, they should only be angry and bold. Showing emotions like sadness and grief were actions that society urged men to avoid, which caused more men to repress their thoughts and feelings. This archaic notion of masculinity has caused men to suffer, which is why the change in people’s behavior is a breath of fresh air that can save lives. Here are the reasons behind it:
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There Are More Men Who Have Suicidal Thoughts
Studies have shown that men who commit suicide are three times higher compared to women. This figure is alarming. But even if it’s a massive problem, society has ignored its role in this trend. So much so that no one is having conversations about male suicide.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC have also released findings that 84 percent of these men who committed suicide had no records of any mental illnesses. This finding doesn’t mean none of them suffered from any depression, anxiety, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more. It’s just proving that men choose not to talk about their emotions because society considers talking to a psychiatrist an effeminate trait.
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There Are More Men Who Think Therapy Is Not Necessary
When men suffer from mental health problems, many ignore them and sweep them under the rug. According to the Substance Abuses and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, the number of men who consider therapy necessary is lower than women. Unfortunately, treatment is essential to let any person, regardless of their gender to explore their thoughts, behavior, and emotions. Seeking therapy doesn’t necessarily mean a person suffers from any mental disorders, and more men should know that.
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There Are More Men Who Are Dissatisfied with Their Lives
Everyone goes through a phase when they feel dissatisfied with their education, jobs, salary, life choices, salary, and more. These problems are why therapy is necessary, so people will realize there is nothing wrong with feeling that way. Men who go through midlife crises and ignore these negative emotions tend to disassociate from the fact that this problem happens to everyone, which takes its toll on their well-being.
In terms of different aspects of life like education and employment, men tend to have lower satisfaction levels than women, which causes their mental health and self-esteem to suffer. These problems are why midlife crises are also more common in men as they feel less satisfied with their careers. And not talking about these kinds of issues makes it worse for men.
The list of why men need wellness in their lives is long, and there are more reasons why it should become more available to them. Fortunately, the tides are changing, and more men are becoming more open to talking about their mental health. Hopefully, it’s a trend that will continue.
