Supporting Men’s Mental Health

men's mental health

By Ashley Barnes Why it’s important to discuss men’s mental health. While it is important to be sensitive and attentive to the mental health challenges of all identities and genders, men’s mental health has historically gone unnoticed and unattended to. This is largely in part due to the way that men have been socialized, especially in American culture. Due to gender roles, men are often socialized to be “tough,” and to not show emotions that may communicate any vulnerability. Internalizing. Because expressing deeper feelings of hurt may not be deemed acceptable by society, men may turn toward more socially acceptable ways of expressing their emotions such as anger. Men experience the same emotions that other genders do and it is time we break down the stigma that harms men’s mental health. Statistics. According to statistics recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Women are roughly three times …

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National Suicide Prevention Month

men's mental health

By Ashley Barnes   What is National Suicide Prevention Month? National Suicide Prevention Month spans the entirety of September with the goal of uniting mental health professionals, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members to promote suicide prevention awareness; this is achieved through educating others with the use of resources, research, and powerful stories. September also hosts National Suicide Prevention Week from September 4th through September 10th as well as World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th. Suicide Prevention. It is important to recognize warning signs of suicide as well as understand it’s prevalence in order to work towards suicide prevention. Suicide describes the act of ending one’s own life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States (CDC, 2021). Research has found that around 46% of people who die by suicide have a known mental health …

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Support and Safety: The 988 Lifeline

men's mental health

By Ashley Barnes What is 988? The 988 Lifeline is a suicide and crisis lifeline that launched on July 16, 2022. Before this, 988 was formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255; while either phone number will lead callers to the same place, condensing the original number to three digits reflects the effort to make the crisis service more accessible. The 988 Lifeline is not just for those experiencing suicidal thoughts. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 988 “​​offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support” (2022).  What to expect when you reach out to 988. When people call 988, they will …

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Self-care Spotlight 004

men's mental health

By Ashley Barnes This week, I thought a lot about the ways in which music helps calm me during times of stress, quickly realizing how listening to music can be deemed a form of self-care. Los Angeles residents may be familiar with the stressful traffic, people dangerously weaving in and out of it, and the bustle of people trying to get from point A to point B during a busy work day. In my commute to downtown, I became cognizant of the ways my environment was impacting me. Sometimes self-care is turning on music that boosts your confidence (some may think of hip hop or pop music), and other times, it sounds like “Clare de lune” by Claude Debussy (which was what I ended up choosing). Listening to music can help us feel empowered and ready for a big interview and it can calm us when we notice we are …

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Self-Care Spotlight 003

men's mental health

By Ashley Barnes   This week, I discovered that I had been overlooking one of the most underrated forms of self care: going on a short walk. Getting movement is a way to regulate our nervous systems and is an especially important tool to utilize when we are parked in our office chairs all day. It is also a way to get a change of scenery and some novelty to add something new to our routines. Especially as daylight lingers longer into the evening and as the temperature starts to cool, going on walks may be a good way to exercise and take a break after a long day. If you are an early bird, the mornings are another wonderful time to get some movement in if possible! When I go on my walks, I like to incorporate mindfulness by taking note of the chirping birds, the chatter of people …

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