Topic Tuesday // Is mental health more challenging for men? // 20 June, 7pm AEST

Time has FLOWN tonight and we're only got ten mintues left. Last chance for any comments or questions.

How about: if you could give a man in your life one piece of advice or encouragement, what would it be?

@Former-Member I’d like to commend you for your commitment to the mental wellness of your children. Sounds like there is a lot happening there for you and your family. If there is questions that you have or support needed please give us a call at MensLine on 1300 789 978. These types of concerns can be run past one of our counsellors and I find that they can have some helpful suggestions that they’ve learned from experience that may help out. All the best and again let me encourage you for what you’ve done up until now, sounds like they are lucky to have you!

Oh yes -

6) Support forums, sorry I forgot to mention that. I would never be having this discussion otherwise (in person).

I was a member & moderator of a child A survivor's forum for several years also.

I have been hospitalized many times for treatment resistant depression, each time I'm in hospital I have noticed that there seems to be more men who are seeking help, which is great to see and yes I think there is this stigma, that men can handle everything and be big boys and show no traites of depression or symtoms, It's not a weakness . Yes men do face more challengers than women in the world of depression, but seeking help is the first step in the long road to recovery. I feel haveing the right support is crucial both for men and women. Having a good mental health team working with you, let it be psychatriste, psychologist, counsellor or mental health peer worker is crucial. It is a brave first big step, especially for men but this gives many who seek help clarity and understanding.

@Former-MemberCrisis phone lines can be life-savers. Use them if you can - they saved my life. They got me to phone for an ambulance, went in for emergency bowel surgery.

I went to carer education at Wellways and found this helpful in how I support my husband. -- i think that would be good for me @Former-Member, @Former-Member, a bit hard when you live in a rural arear xx

Hi @soul,

Yes I am very aware of that and that's why I am talking on here rather then trying to oush a conversation with my family. we don't fight but we mainly talk about what they did and stuff like that. I worked in an area where i served my country for over 30 years. and for a few years after I had my mental break down i was very hard to live with. Night from that and from my child hood all rolled into one and I was a talking time bomb.

I understand that it would be very very hard for them to process and try to come to grips with my illness. I thought by getting my head better it would bring me closer but that doesn't seem the case.

All I can do is get my life in better shape , work out who I am now and what good would i be to the community. and try and get going that way and see what happens.

I believe in talking to who ever wants to listen, about mental health and mens health, but their is a lot of resistance out.

Woman or Man, Adult or Child we are all in the same boat and need to be their for each other no matter what.

"Deeds not just words" and remember their is only one race "the human race"

Never give up,

Dogman

Thanks @bubbles2.