For years, males have been urged to "man up." They're expected to be tough, and any admission that you're not okay is viewed as a sign of weakness. While women are frequently labelled as "emotional," men are discouraged from speaking up. It originates from our childhoods when we were taught that boys don't grieve.
Because of these gender norms, many men are unwilling to share their genuine feelings or seek professional assistance and therapy when struggling.
How can someone improve their mental health
Men's health month can help men speak about their mental health issues. However, apart from only raising awareness, we can make a difference. When we know how to guide somebody to improve their mental health, we can encourage them to get better.
Surprisingly, helping somebody with mental health issues is much easier than you might think. Here are some recommendations that'll help:
· Spot the signs now, not later - The first step is to spot the signs now, as you can devise a plan to improve mental health. Seeing somebody feeling sad continuously, having huge mood swings, or not being socially active suggests poor mental health.
· Learn to understand and manage feelings - It frequently helps to pay attention to our emotions without condemning them or telling ourselves we're foolish or weak for feeling this way. It may seem strange and uncomfortable to do this. But practice and patience with ourselves will help.
· Talk kindly about yourself - Some individuals feel better if they write down their emotions, either in a notebook or on their phone. People should attempt to think positively about themselves in order to decrease negative thoughts and feelings.
· Get closer to nature - Nature can be extremely calming. We have been living around other animals and plants for thousands of years. Some people say nature helps them feel calmer, more hopeful and less alone.
· Seek help and support - Many of us have learnt to ignore our emotions. It can take a lot of guts to tell someone else how we actually feel or what we're struggling with, especially if somebody doesn't generally do that. Just discussing things with someone we trust may be beneficial and relieving.