Why Mental Health Matters More Than Ever
Mental health has become more important than ever in society today, and our understandings and realisations pertaining to the importance of mental health have evolved drastically over the past century.
Mental health influences all facets of our lives in the same way our physical health does, yet it has been marginalised over the years by archaic corrupt beliefs to such an extent that we still believe in those ideals all these years later… but their strength is weakening.
The Reality Behind the Statistics
To discuss the topic of mental health and why numerous campaigns have encouraged us to speak about and raise awareness of it, we must pay attention to the alarming number of suicides.
According to the National Office of Statistics:
“… approximately 7000 people commit suicide each year, and is the leading cause of fatality in men aged under 35.”
This is very worrying, as not only does it show that suicides are becoming more common in young people, but it is also a foreboding indictment on the state of our culture and how we live our lives.
Where the ‘Stiff Upper Lip’ Came From
An old mentality used during wartime, was for men in the army to use a “stiff upper lip” when contending with the emotions of active duty.
By not showing any emotion, men could kill the enemy without feeling anything and thus they would be able to continue fighting without their mental health weighing them down when it needed to be used to get the job done.
The psychological impact of World War I tortured soldiers’ ability to carry out their duties
During World War I, many men looked forward to the idea of heading into battle as it gave them a sense of valour as they defended their country, thinking that the war would be over by Christmas.
Yet their optimism about war soon faced a blood-curdling, raw and nasty reality, and the horrors of the aftermath stemming from this enormous global conflict took its toll on men in the form of shell-shock.
The psychological impact of World War I tortured soldiers’ ability to carry out their duties, and therefore a requirement to curtail emotional distress was essential within the context of war.
When Being ‘Strong’ Becomes a Burden
The belief that men should show no emotion has carried on as a method to deal with the hardships of life, a way to demonstrate how tough and durable men are, woven into the framework of masculinity with airtight rigidity.
Men are pressured to show they don’t possess fear, that they can impress women by not crying and by sticking by them without questioning anything.
Men are “meant” to be the architects of family life, the breadwinners, the adult boys women rely on to keep things together and be the reassurance and strength of the children they bear together.
Combined with the 8 hour days at work, plentiful responsibilities, things to do, taxes to pay and money concerns to maintain equilibrium, men are constantly hard-pressed to be the best they can be and balance out the elements, and it overwhelms their psyche to such a degree that they aren’t able to think in new and more therapeutic ways.
Combined with the friends and other men who carry these beliefs, then in essence, we as a culture decided to take a potentially helpful wartime concept, and turn it into a wide-open exponential conviction all men seemingly must abide by that is destroying men from the inside out.
When being ‘strong’ becomes a burden
The real problem is contained within our cultural infrastructure, where we’ve piled so much complexity into our lives and our brains, that we overload ourselves. We like to be busy and get jobs done when they need to be done, yes, but we deserve to take time out to relax when we need to.
However, with jobs and the copious amounts of must-dos, we lose sight of simplicity that we entangle our minds into a knotty contortion.
We must learn to untangle and keep things straightforward, and if we’re finding it all too much, we need to talk so that we can feel we’re being listened to, and as a result we can gain clarity and catharsis.
Men Are Starting to Talk
Thankfully, men are starting to talk more and more. Gradually, over the course of decades we’ve turned the corner with what we are aware of regarding mental health.
Long-held damaging principles have been unpeeled, and more people are gaining the ability to talk through various support groups.
From Andy’s Man Club to Man Gang and Man Down, peer support groups for men’s mental health are becoming more prominent in mainstream circles.
Changing the Conversation
Furthermore, social media has allowed us to widen this awareness to a far greater degree than ever before, and as such movements to invite talking have become widespread, especially regarding men.
Not only this, but many celebrities and famous sportsmen are promoting the importance of talking to prevent suicide.
The UFC’s Paddy Pimblett is one such example, where he got on the microphone after a victory and told the crowd and fans watching at home how a good friend had committed suicide, and that he’d rather his mate cried on his shoulders than carry his casket at a funeral.
The fight to understand our mental health is one that shouldn’t actually be a fight. It all comes down to letting your feelings be expressed and to not be overridden by other people’s more-limiting beliefs.
At the same time, we should be trustworthy enough for men to talk to so they can offload their inner turmoil. We need to work together to overcome our mental health struggles, and only through unification we can become stronger. Doing everything on our own does not work.
Connection Is Our Guiding Light
Despite popular beliefs that we’re “independent” we all rely on each other and on nature to survive. If we want a new car, we must contact a salesman, if we want a new home, we must contact a realtor, and if we want to talk, we must find people we can trust to let our feelings out.
“We cannot be truly independent because we rely on our surroundings to provide for us.”
Connection is our guiding light and that’s what we should put into action in order to do right by ourselves and be the best we can be.
Great article and story piece. Well done!
Cheers mate.
Really well read. This needs to be talked about more and more. Thank you for sharing this James.sharing where we are at truly and honestly doesn’t change the situation but allows us to breathe.
“Seeking nothing less than a passionate, deep, emotional, and real connection”
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I appreciate your kind words.