For this week, I have decided to focus my attention on men’s mental health. This is a topic that has been talked about more over the course of the past years, but I firmly believe that it needs more recognition. And whether or not you want to talk about mental health issues, this article is going to discuss them.
Why me, a female, be able to speak on men’s mental health? Sometimes it’s best to hear a topic from the other side, someone from a different side representing this argument can have the potential to make more of an impact. A little background about myself, I used to/still do enjoy being a listener for those who need someone to talk to. Everything that someone says to me stays between me and the person who told me, I never spill somebody’s personal issues to anybody else. Besides the times when I’ve been wronged or used, which had actually happened to me at the end of my junior year. I had warned the person that I was going to spill it if they decided to play with me, so they already knew what was coming for them. As much as I value my mental health is as much as I value men’s mental health.
In order to gauge how many guys feel safe/don’t feel safe, I took to my instagram to make a poll (which my instagram is @ataraxy.u for future reference). About 62% of guys said that they don’t feel safe sharing how they feel to anyone, while 37% said that they do feel safe sharing their feelings with someone. In my fair opinion, these are some very depressing statistics. I firmly believe that it shouldn’t be this way, that both guys and young guys should be able to talk about how they feel; especially with somebody they can trust. Like I’ve mentioned before, their mental health matters just as much as females’ mental health does.
Furthermore, the guy friends and ex’s I’ve had over the course of years elaborated on this topic. “I was taught from a young age by my mom and dad that I had to be emotionless, unable to show how I feel to anyone… especially in front of family.” To be perfectly honest, I hate this kind of thinking. I think it’s inhumane, teaches a man (young boy too) to be barbaric. It more of teaches a man to be heartless, which shouldn’t be the ideal image of what a man is. Men from young ages to their adult years should feel comfortable talking about how they feel.
With all of this being said, men really don’t deserve to get their mental health shunned out. To the men/young men reading this article, I have a few things to say to you. If you ever need someone to reach out to, don’t feel afraid to reach out to me. I’m nonjudgmental, so I won’t judge you for what you would tell me. You all deserved to be listened to. You all deserve to be cared for. And if you want me to listen to you? I will. It’s what we deserve as humans, I firmly believe so.
