Movember Part 4: Signs a men needs support while struggling with mental health

In mental health talks, we often talk about women, but it’s really important not to forget about men. Many people think that only women get sad, but the numbers show that men also feel this way. Only 5.1% of men get help for feeling sad, while 11.3% of women do. In our company, evoila, we have many men working with us, and we need to make sure they feel good and happy too. Psychologist Lina Anderhell tells us that men sometimes don’t like to talk about their feelings because they feel they have to be tough. This can make it hard for them to get help when they are feeling really sad. Finding out if a man is sad can be difficult because their signs might not be the same as what we expect. Instead of crying a lot or not enjoying things, men might do things like get sick more, drink too much, or get really angry. This can hide the real problem, which is feeling sad inside. If you see a friend acting differently, like not sleeping well, eating too much or too little, not taking care of themselves, avoiding friends, or talking about feeling really bad, it’s important to help them. Men can feel sad for many reasons, like bad experiences, too much stress, losing someone they love, or problems with their body chemicals. When men lose things that are important to them, like relationships, someone they love, or their job, it can make them feel really sad. Men often think they have to be strong and not show when they feel weak. This can make them not talk about their problems and keep going even when they are really sad. Knowing if a man is feeling sad is important.

They might show it by being angry, not wanting to be with people, drinking too much, working too hard, or taking risks. They might also have trouble sleeping, eating, or feeling energetic. Talking to a man about feeling sad can be hard, but psychologist Anderhell says we should start by asking, “How are you?” and talking about what we noticed. We shouldn’t blame them; instead, we should support them and ask if we can help. To stop feeling sad, it’s good to have friends, not drink too much, and live a healthy life. Doing exercise, like walking or running, can make us feel happier.

If you want to help a friend who feels sad, you can use the A-L-E-C way:
A – Ask questions: Ask how they feel and notice changes.
L – Listen carefully: Show that you’re there and not judging.
E – Encourage action: Help them do small, good things.
C – Check in: Keep talking and supporting.
It’s everyone’s job to talk about men’s feelings. Let’s create a place where everyone can talk and feel cared for, so every man knows they are heard, supported, and understood.