Mental health of men is something quite important (just as women) but yet it is most often unrecognized. Both women and men experience different forms of mental health difficulties though there are a few noteworthy differences between the issues that affect men and women. Whether for men or for women, mental illness is always a tough challenge for anyone.
However, mental health issues may have varied symptoms among men than in women. This is why there are some disorders in men that are very tough to identify. Depressed men usually remain grouchy and angry rather than being withdrawn or sad. Men may, as a result, find it hard to get help of Oklahoma City individual counseling center.
Men have been used to hearing phrases like ‘pull up your socks’ or ‘chin up’ and this has always kept them from opening up about their mental health with therapists and counselors. Nevertheless, with a growing recognition of mental health concerns among men, let’s take a quick look at the most common mental health challenges faced by men.
Desolation and solitude
There are many among us who must have felt lonely and desolated at some point of time but very few identify how grave loneliness can get. These days, there is a common phenomenon called ‘social isolation’. Loneliness comes in its severe forms and this is mostly a contributor to several social ills like suicide, violenace and substance abuse.
This is primarily a feeling of grief, of being alone and the most surprising thing about this feeling is that it may also happen when you’re surrounded by many others. Hence, this is usually a feeling where you feel disconnected from the world around you. There is a constant feeling that none understands you.
PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is a specific type of anxiety disorder. PTSD happens when you have been an eye witness to a life-threatening or a violent event like a war. This type of feeling is especially common among men who have served a responsible part in a war or a battle. These men usually relive that ghastly event. Often, men get scary nightmares due to which they feel detached and emotionally numb. Men may also face job and relationship issues, panic attacks, or suicidal thoughts.
Depression
Many say that depression is more common in women than men but that doesn’t mean that men don’t get it. Depression is also seen in men but their symptoms are slightly different from those seen among women. Here are few depression symptoms among men:
- Trouble in concentrating
- A grouchy or sad mood at most days of the week
- Feeling of isolation from friends and family members
- Difficulty in sleeping or sleeping too much
- Inability to get an optimistic feeling
- A sudden change in energy and appetite
- Getting body aches, headaches, or digestive issues with no reason
- Suicidal tendencies
- Lack of focus in life
- Unreasonable feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and worthlessness
Bipolar disorder
This is a type of mental disorder that leads to mood swings between a state of euphoria to a state of depression and high energy. This is a specific disorder which is also known as manic-depression and few of the symptoms include:
- Getting distracted easily
- Too many thoughts racing in your mind
- Not getting sleep for several days at a stretch
- Not talking at all or talking too much
- Participating in high-risk tasks like unsafe physical life or gambling
- Making too-good-to-be-true plans
Therefore, just as there are mental health concerns among men, there are solutions too. Whenever you feel that your mood swings are interfering in your work and personal life, run to a therapist.