The topic of men's mental health is a passion of mine & one that is sometimes overlooked. The stigma in our society is an obstacle that keeps people from seeking the help they need. As a guy who's also been in therapy, I know how quick people are to judge. Society expects men to “be strong”, “man up”, etc.
Especially in the hispanic community, there's still a lot of "machismo" in the community. For those who don't know "machismo" is a traditional form of masculinity where men can't show emotion, & only men can run the household. This is why stigma has to be addressed when advocating for mens mental health.
Society expects men to “be strong”, “man up”!
That's why I like including the conversation of mental health as part of a person’s overall health, physical, mental & spiritual. By embracing a holistic perspective of health we can improve how stigma is addressed. The same way a person goes to a doctor when experiencing medical issues, going to a therapist for depression should also be normalized. Depression isn’t a sign of weakness. Mental health isn’t a matter of strength vs weakness, or survival. Its a matter of healing, wellness & thriving.
Moreover, I’d like to take the medical analogy a bit further. For some people, they only see a doctor once they go to the ER for an emergency. I equate this to only seeing a therapist once you're in a mental health crisis. This is why I advocate for preventive mental health care.
Don’t wait until you’re in a crisis to talk to a professional. It's important that we change the way we discuss mental health. Especially when we talk about men’s mental health. Talk to you soon!
Hector Ventura is a licensed psychotherapist in FL, TX, VA & UT. He's passionate about mens mental health & immigrant mental health. He's also a marketing coach for wellness professionals that need help with social media management & funnel building.
