(Men)tal Wellness

Mental wellness is a topic that a lot of us are uncomfortable talking about.  We tend to shy away from it, act like it's not a problem and don't want to walk in our truth.  Unfortunately, there is a stigma that we all have to deal with that says seeking support for mental wellness is problematic and something "crazy" people do or equates to you being broken.  In this episode we're going to dive into a conversation with Travis Hutchins of TH Talks Podcast surrounding men's mental wellness and try to tackle the question - what can men gain from therapy? Some of the topics that we'll touch on are:

Suicide preventions/statistics on male suicides.

• 4 times as many men die by suicide than women
• 6 million men in the US with depression
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for men under the age of 45

Toxic masculinity - the culture and lived experiences that have led to men unable to express emotions.

• Women not giving men space to be vulnerable. Share their emotions, vent, talk out situations, or God forbid cry.
• Men directing their unsolved emotions / anger towards others (usually romantic partners)
• Defining what is means to be a man in today’s society

The issue with accessibility for therapy and mental health Finding a therapist

Risk Factors for Mental Health Disorders

• Social Isolation
• Substance Abuse,
• Unemployments,
• Military Trauma
• Single - Breaks up / Childhood Trauma

What people can do to help with men’s mental health

• Build a support system
• Allow people to communicate without weaponizing their emotions
• Encourage mindfulness/ healthier lifestyle choices
• Reshaping the conversation about mental health and seeking treatment

Sources for Statistics:

https://www.mhanational.org/infographic-mental-health-men

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/leading-causes-of-death-in-men#The-wider-view-of-male-health

https://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/Infographics/NAMI_Suicide_2020_FINAL.pdf