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Post by mgirard on Jun 16, 2017 23:29:10 GMT -4
It Is great to see that male actors and athletes are speaking out about their experiences with mental health illness and helping to decrease the stigma that usually follows. Although I think this does empower men to seek treatment or help, it is not always as glamourous and easy as the “stars” portray it to be. They have more money, more resources, more supports than the average male. They have access to the best treatment and treatment options. They can afford to take as much time off from work as they need to seek treatment without the added stress of costs of living, supporting families, work etc. that many average Americans would face. So, although this may help decrease taboo and encourage men to seek help, we need to keep in mind that this may also be giving men a false sense of “everything will be okay if I just get help”. It is a long road to recovery that doesn’t happen overnight. It requires hard work and perseverance from the patient as well as health care providers making available the resources that best fit each case.
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Post by joy iroro on Jun 18, 2017 20:32:09 GMT -4
The male gender generally does openly address health issues probably to avoid being seen as weak, and mental health gets the least coverage. It is very encouraging that people are stepping up to encourage others to address mental health issues. Celebrities and public figures in general speaking up about mental health issues would definitely encourage and help others who could possibly identify with them seek the necessary help. More could definitely be done to create awareness and provide guidance.
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Post by Robert Eke on Jun 22, 2017 10:25:53 GMT -4
As rightly pointed out in this article, mental health issues are not gender selective, so all affected people both men and women should seek help and also do that quite early so that the problem can be promptly addressed before much harm is done.It is concerning to learn that suicide rates have increased by 24 percent in the last 15 years and that middle aged men are mostly involved. Probably, if these people had sought help, this statistic would not have been as alarming as this. It has been established that techniques like therapy can be effectively deployed to tackle mental health issues. Medications also have been shown to be effective in addressing these issues. It is significant that the awareness of the need to seek help on mental health issues is coming from male celebrities who a large percentage of the population do admire, one hopes that men would heed their clarion call and make themselves available for treatment. It is certainly not a show of strength to keep quiet and eventually die or be mentally crippled by a condition that has a medical solution.
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Post by rkhonat on Jun 23, 2017 10:13:04 GMT -4
It is good that society is becoming more open about mental health, this enables more people to receive proper treatment. Society used to believe that men were supposed to be invulnerable and that I am having mental issues was a form of weakness. It would be good if this also spreads to other places besides the United States including many regions within Africa, India,and China. The search for mental health is often viewed as a problem originating from the family and affecting family "honor", for it is considered a shame/ "black mark". With these celebrities talking so openly about the mental health issues it may also be able to affect these countries, for these countries often also view celebrities with high esteem.
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Post by GRACE AMOKE on Jun 27, 2017 20:26:19 GMT -4
Its indeed a "SILENT CRISIS" in men mental health, based on research men have high rates of mental issues,this includes elevated rates of suicide and substance abuse,as low rates of mental health service use. SUICIDE;Men makes up 75% of suicide victims n the USA ,with one man killing himself every 20 minutes.more common in men living in small towns and rural areas,this is attributed to various factor ;one being massive decline in traditional male industries such as manufacturing . forestry and fisheries causing a large swathes of UNEMPLOYED or UNDER-EMPLOYED men, making it difficult to be breadwinners of their homes which leaves them without sense of pride. SUBSTANCE ABUSE; is predominantly in males , termed ''slow-motion suicide". Many men engage in substance abuse in response to stressful life issues like unemployment.lost of a spouse and divorce etc. MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE UTILIZATION;Evidence suggests that men are significantly less likely to use mental health services compare to women,thus men are much more likely to suffer in silence ,especially minority men (Black,Latino,Asian men). SOLUTION;men mental health should be recognize as a social issue as much as a health issue,with attention paid to unemployment and familial disruption, secondly more choice in formal health system tailored towards options that responds to men's unique needs. etc
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Post by Elspeth Bittle on Jul 17, 2017 20:31:05 GMT -4
Hollywood is stepping up to change the stigma around men and therapy
While it's nice that men's mental health is finally making headlines, it's sad that it's because they had to hit bottom first. Brad Pitt didn't come out advocating for mental health until his extremely sudden and public divorce. It wasn't until news stories were a flurry that he'd abused his children did he step out and explain how important seeing a therapist is, rather than trying to drink your problems away. After some time he was able to get a court order allowing him occasional visitation rights with his kids. Zayn Malik finally opened up once his fans got tired of him bailing last minute on his concerts and demanded an explanation. Celebrities have made a step in the right direction, finally addressing mental health, but I think they should aim higher than simply addressing it once they feel they have no other choice in order to maintain a fan base.
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Post by Russell Garcia on Jul 18, 2017 10:15:26 GMT -4
This article cites several examples of celebrities and athletes that sought help through mental health services to address mild to moderate cognitive/behavioral disturbances. Brad Pitt was "Avoiding feelings." Peter Kraus was looking for relationship advice. Zayn Malik had an eating disorder. Entire television shows are dedicated to highlighting the usefulness of mental health services. The message is focused on encouraging men and boys to get help with psychosocial issues. By seeking help for mental illness, men are less likely to commit suicide. By seeking help for less serious psychosocial issues, men are more likely to establish and maintain a lasting a healthy relationship. By visiting the dentist on a regular basis, patients are less likely to suffer from gum disease.
"Humanizing" psychiatric patients by citing examples of seemingly "normal" people that use mental health services will empower patients to discuss important mental health issues before they lead to serious outcomes.
If we could discuss psychiatric issues as treatable conditions in the same manner as we discuss cough, cold, and flu symptoms, there would be less "stigma" about psychiatric patients. As of today, many people have a distorted view of the " psychiatric patient."
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