Niall Breslin on Ending Stigma
This week, I am sharing with you this video of former athlete and musician Niall Breslin. In this clip Breslin, on an Irish TV show, discusses the importance of addressing mental health issues with men. While the video is short, Breslin touches on so many great points about battling mental illness and how we can all be better supporters of people in our lives who may be facing really difficult emotional times.
This video is a great compliment to my recent post 6 Ways to Support Counseling Awareness Month as it touches on bringing greater awareness, casting out stigma and embracing a healthier view on emotional health in general. It is definitely worth a watch!
The Code of Silence: Men & Depression
According to the National Alliance for Mental Health, approximately 6 million men per year experience clinical depression. Unfortunately, there are a likely a significant portion of men who suffer from depression but are underrepresented in mental health care treatment due to the increased stigma for men to seek services.It is actually a courageous and responsible step for men to seek out therapy for conditions like depression.
Unfortunately, many men feel that acknowledging depression is a sign of weakness, but what others see as a sign of weakness, I see as a sign of duty, responsibility and strength. And it's not only men who feel this way about emotional health issues like depression. Depression is an incredibly powerful group of symptoms that affects people of all genders, social and economic statuses.Have you been depressed lately?
Here are some signs that you may need to seek out professional support:
lack of interest or enjoyment in activities you previously enjoyed
persistent feelings of emotional numbness, anger or frustration
physical symptoms or pains that aren't otherwise responding to treatment (like body pains, headaches, stomach issues)
feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or guilt
difficulty focusing or concentrating on work or daily tasks
significant changes in appetite or physical activity
recurrent thoughts of suicide or death
As the old saying goes, "You can't help anyone else until you help yourself." Taking action in addressing your battle with depression can not only improve your life but the lives of the loved ones around you.As a partner or father, there's little doubt in my mind that your significant other, loved ones or children wouldn't benefit greatly from you taking proper care of yourself.If you feel that you may be experiencing depression or thoughts of suicide it's very important that you reach out to a qualified mental health counselor or therapist today to begin to take your life back from this very powerful experience.