Supporting Men’s Mental Health: 4 Tips To Get Started | AD

*This is a collaborative post

A recent poll by The Priory Group shows that over 70% of men have suffered from common mental health issues recently, and with staggering rates of suicide for men, the need for self-care and attention to mental health has never been greater.

However, self-care for men isn’t seen in the same light as it is for women despite men being in just as much need, if not more, of downtime away from stressors. It can be tricky to figure out how best to support mental health in men, especially for men who bottle things up; however, sometimes, it is small actions that help. These tips can be great ways for men to relax and get much-needed self-care.

Exercising

Most doctors will tell you if they could prescribe exercise on the NHS, it would be a great cure or remedy for many ailments. And research shows they’re not exaggerating.

Physical activity can be an excellent stress reliever and not just benefit your physical health. As you exercise, your body releases endorphins, and Elle Woods famously muttered in Legally Blonde, “endorphins make you happy!” So not only are you giving your body a much-needed workout and increasing serotonin levels in your brain, which is an excellent mood booster.

Listening To Music

Music has an uncanny way of being able to help relieve you of your stress and express your emotions. Connecting to the right song can be incredibly therapeutic at the right moment. Many experts agree that music can be an excellent tool for supporting mental health regardless of the emotion it invokes.

Whether you need a high-energy concert to let out some nervous energy, a drive with classical music on in the background to help you relax, or simply locking yourself away listening to your favourite tunes, turn the music on, turn it up and enjoy.

New Clothes

Never underestimate the power new clothes can bring. The better you feel in what you wear, the more confident you will be. This is the same for everyone, men and women. But while shopping can still be seen as exclusively for women, there is no reason splurging and buying new clothing can’t have the same effect on men. Build your confidence and support your mental health by paying attention to what you wear. Whether it is a new t-shirt, trousers or men’s suits for work, treat yourself and enjoy your new threads.

Take A Mental Health Day

A somewhat ambiguous option, but that is the beauty of it. Mental health and mental health support are different for every single person, and men need to know that it is ok to support their mental health in any way they see fit. A mental health day can be as simple as staying in bed, playing video games or binge-watching movies and TV shows. It can be reading a self-help book, researching therapists or even looking for a new job. Whatever alleviates the mental load falls under the mental health day umbrella. Avoid indulging in bad habits such as excessive alcohol consumption or binge eating junk food, as this will have the opposite effect.

Ensuring you are supporting your mental health as a man or helping the man in your life to support their own mental health is vital in the modern world. These tips can go a long way to do just that.