June is Men’s Health Month. Organizations across Canada will be focusing on a wide variety of topics, from the importance of eating right to getting enough exercise. These are important topics, and worthy of your time to read up on. However, conversations around men’s health must also include mental health, particularly three main aspects: communication, support, and treatment. We focus on these three vital elements of mental health to minimize stigma and pave the way for more open conversations about what mental health means to men and what they could be doing differently.
Communication in general can be tough, and this is especially true for men when it comes to talking about their own mental health. A common assumption is that they will be seen as weak or soft if they open up about their anxiety, depression, or intrusive thoughts. This is a significant obstacle that blocks men from proactively accessing the support they need, and one that is often reinforced in society, although this is changing. Excellent progress has been made in many industries, with organizations in the care and emergency response sectors taking proactive steps to shift workplace culture and put real supports in place that allow people to manage things like continuous exposure to trauma and burn out.
Talking about mental health requires vulnerability and honesty, two qualities that are rooted in strength, not weakness. Men sometimes have difficulty identifying their feelings and may not have the vocabulary to accurately describe what they are experiencing. They may need time to talk it out and explore the range of feelings. Once they are ready to speak on them, the next step is finding someone who can help. It’s important to find someone patient, empathetic, and knowledgeable to open up to. This could be a doctor, a good friend, a trusted family member, a partner, or of course, a counsellor. It can be surprising how many supports are available once that conversation starts.
The next aspect of men’s mental health is offering support to the men who may need it. Support looks different for each person, but it always starts with active listening. Ask open-ended questions and remember to be non-judgmental. They may just need someone to listen to them so they can get some thoughts off their chest. Alternatively, they may be looking for suggestions for help or how to take next steps. Men can often minimize their mental health issues, so it is important to ask questions in order to understand what they are needing. It is always helpful to focus on sleep, appetite, and exercise; these are the three qualities that typically suffer when dealing with a mental health issue. Asking about these aspects of a person's health can help you and the person that you are trying to help get a better understanding of what is going on.
Finally, there are many paths to go down when it comes to receiving treatment for mental health issues. Each city has its own resources available; everything from addictions treatment to group counselling. It can be difficult to know who to turn to, but speaking with a counsellor through Walmsley EFAP can help point you in the right direction. Your counsellor will be able to work with you to understand your needs and make longer term recommendations if needed.
Some men are taught to keep their mental health issues to themselves. Others feel like they are weak if they speak up about their struggles. It doesn’t have to be like this. This month especially, make it a priority to seek out help if you need it, or encourage a man in your life to do so if he’s struggling.
Rob Baker, RCC
Walmsley EFAP