And this is the core. Mental Health awareness is great, but the political will to solve some of the core issues that lead to increased mental health difficulty doesn’t exist. There is ample evidence that poverty, domestic abuse, bigotry, harassment, etc., lead to higher numbers of people struggling with their mental health, and we do nothing to prevent that.
Reading this review made me think this may be an interesting book to pick up. Sometimes, the darkest subjects can be addressed most honestly with a little humor.
Economic stress isn’t the only factor when it comes to mental health issues. We all know people with plenty of financial resources who struggle, just like we know professional athletes who exercise all the time and still struggle. That being said, we would be stupid not to acknowledge the increased risk.
My favorite takeaway from this is that self-care is an everyday thing. It’s not something we plan to do; if the stress gets bad enough, it’s the actions we take every day for ourselves. Think of it like brushing your teeth. You do it every day because it keeps your teeth healthy; you don’t wait until they are dirty enough that they need a dentist’s attention to decide now is a good time to start brushing them.
Find ways to take care of yourself every day, and do them. Those are the tools that will help you when times are stressful and anxiety-inducing. You are worthy of that.
What are the ways in which you take care of yourself regularly?
When men display anger, anxiety, and irritation, we tend not to think of it as depression, but it very well can be.
This study taught me something, though. That kind of depression, which we refer to as “masculine,” is not something that only men can display, so we ought to consider how many people across the gender spectrum may be suffering from depression and not recognizing it.
For an individual, it may help, and it may not. It’s important to note that a lower incidence of mental health issues does not mean no mental health incidents. You can exercise, drink two cups of coffee, and get a good night’s sleep every day, and while that is good for you and has benefits, there’s no guarantee that you will not be impacted by mental health issues.
