Asking for Help
By Ronnique Louvier
It is common for people to not want to ask for help. Its even planted in the mind of most men that they should know how to do everything without help. In many households, the man is expected to know everything and answer all the questions women have. Usually when someone is showing sadness, it's a woman because, growing up, men have been taught to “suck it up” and “not act like a girl”. This toxicity is being taught at such early stages of a man's life that by mid childhood it's nearly engrained in the mind and they no longer realize how much this is making an impact on their thoughts.‘The old cultural myth is that men are supposed to be the breadwinners,’ says Korner. ‘They’re not supposed to have any weaknesses, and going to talk to a therapist is a way to show you’re not making it’. One problem leads to another, and before you know it.. those bottled feelings have all caught up and now you're unsure when to ask for help or what to do in certain circumstances when help is needed.
Sadness
Sadness leads to depression which then leads to other problems. There are early symptoms which can try to be reduced before even entering the depressed stage. According to singlecare.com, there are many early symptoms, but for men in particular they are more likely to be: “Anger, irritability or aggressiveness, Feeling anxious, restless, or on edge, Problems with sexual desire and performance, Engaging in risky behavior, A need for alcohol or drugs, Inability to meet the responsibilities of work, family, or other obligations, Physical aches”. The article also mentioned, ``Stress, trauma, major life changes, the loss of a loved one, or a difficult relationship can bring on depression for men and women alike, but financial problems and work problems may affect men more than women because of the stereotypes we often associate with each gender”. There is no complete cure for depression, but the most important thing is to at least look for help whether it's from another human or from an activity. Its important to try to get better rather than soak in your own sadness or let the symptoms worsen because within the different types of depression, comes different stages too, and the longer it lasts the harder it is to drag yourself out.
Mood Swings
According to an article on healthgrades.com by Elizabeth Hanes, “Everyone experiences a range of emotions from day to day—or even hour to hour. You might find your mood swinging from happy to sad to frustrated within the course of an afternoon, and that’s probably perfectly normal. But when should you be concerned about sudden changes in mood?”
Mood swings or prolonged changes in mood should be evaluated by a professional medical or mental health provider when they involve violence, interfere with a person’s ability to perform the tasks of daily living (such as working), make it impossible to concentrate on a task, or affect enjoyment of life.
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