Pushing yourself to go a little outside your comfort zone

It’s so easy to forget that men can suffer from mental health problems too. They can be anxious, depressed, suffer panic attacks or develop obsessive compulsive disorders and yet they rarely talk about their feelings or ask for help. One of the problems is that they are expected to be strong, in control and able to cope. Admitting to feeling anxious or depressed, risks making them look weak and they may feel embarrassed or ashamed. Despite growing mental health awareness, the stigma attached to mental health problems in men is still strong. If they are not encouraged to seek help when they need it and we don’t pick up on the signs, the problem will usually just get worse. According to government statistics as many as 1 in 8 men suffer from mental ill health and they are 3 times more likely than women to commit suicide. In fact suicide is the biggest cause of death in men under the age of 35 and the number of men committing suicide between the ages of 45-59 has been increasing over the last 5 years. So what are some of the warning signs? Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much, a change in appetite, being self-critical or becoming unusually quiet and withdrawn could all be signs of depression. They may become restless or anxious or lose their temper more easily and be irritable or aggressive. You may notice that things they used to enjoy may no longer interest them and they may have difficulty concentrating or remembering things. They may also start taking unnecessary risks or start drinking too much or taking drugs to help them cope. How can you help? Letting them know they are not alone and that you are there to listen without judgement is one important first step. Even sending a text or email could make such a difference. Reassure them there is nothing to be ashamed of and that it is okay to ask for help and encourage them to speak to their GP if needed. Perhaps finding some local support groups or websites where they can find more information or obtain some advice will help to show that there is support out there. Explaining they are not to blame and that everybody feels like this occasionally, especially with the current pandemic, and that by being open and honest about how they feel is an important first step to feeling better.

Sleep is just as important as good nutrition and exercise for our mental and physical health

How just thinking about the coronavirus can make us ill. Things we can be doing to reduce our anxiety