{"id":184289,"date":"2022-10-06T08:00:27","date_gmt":"2022-10-06T00:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/?p=184289"},"modified":"2022-10-05T14:22:31","modified_gmt":"2022-10-05T06:22:31","slug":"mens-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/mens-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking for help on how to talk about men’s mental health with your friends and family?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thanks to organisations like MindHK<\/a>, Talking Mental<\/a>, Red Door<\/a>, and many others, it is easier to talk about mental health issues in Hong Kong. But, due to common gender stereotypes<\/a>, there is still a stigma around men\u2019s mental health, and it can be very difficult for men to seek help. In many cultures men are expected to be strong, protective, and tough. For fear of being judged, or thought of as weak, these expectations can often make it harder for men to deal openly with their feelings.<\/p>\n

Let’s talk about men\u2019s mental health<\/h2>\n

The stigma around men\u2019s mental health has a big impact on society. The struggle to recognise and process their feelings often leads men to experience anxiety and depression. As a result, men in Hong Kong and around the world are more likely to commit suicide than women. This is largely because many men are ashamed to look for help and admit that they are dealing with mental health<\/a> issues. We are making efforts to empower and encourage women to be bolder and stronger. Yet, we often forget that to achieve real balance we also must empower and encourage men to be sensitive and expressive.<\/p>\n

In addition, men’s difficulties in recognising and processing their emotions can often create difficulties in their relationships with others. Many men have to work to unlearn the gender roles<\/a> that boys don’t cry and if you feel sad you just need to man up. Men feel so much pressure to hide their negative feelings that they often bottle them up or use unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as alcohol, drugs, or aggressive behaviour. This in turn impacts the community around them.<\/p>\n

Mental health knows no gender<\/h3>\n
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Positive coping mechanisms, like meditation, can help men take care of their mental health (Photography: Charanjeet Dhiman via Unsplah)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We have been taught to take care of our health. Mental health is health. If you have a toothache, you go to the dentist. If you have depression, you go to a therapist. There is no display of weakness in this. Now, we don’t all have serious toothaches that require a dentist. The same way we all don’t have depression or anxiety that requires therapy. What we do require is to attend to our mental health, the same way we brush our teeth.<\/p>\n

So how can men let go of the stoic masculine stereotype that men don\u2019t show their emotions? Let’s start with the truth that knowledge is power. To be connected to your emotions doesn’t mean you need to cry in front of people. It means that it is healthy to:<\/p>\n