AWARE NI Newsletter: Men's Health Week

It's MEN'S HEALTH WEEK!

At AWARE NI, we work to remind everyone that their mental health should be prioritised as much as their physical health. This includes YOU. A man. The statistics show that men are less likely to seek medical help when they are experiencing mental health issues. We want to encourage you not to shut it out but rather to let other people in.

You might think that talking about what is going on inside your mind and the feelings it evokes is a 'woman's thing'. It's not. Men can experience the same amount of relief from opening up to a trusted friend or family member. This is why AWARE NI has chosen the theme 'Let's Talk Man to Man' this year.

Spot the Signs

While there isn’t a different sort of ‘male depression’, some symptoms are more common in men than women.

These include:

• Irritability
• Sudden anger
• Increased loss of control
• Risk-taking
• Aggression

Here are some Conversation Starters

We are encouraging you to talk man to man, even if it feels awkward to start with. Some things you could say include:

• How have you really been?
• You don’t seem yourself lately. What’s going on?
• All ok with you? You seemed a bit overwhelmed, which I get. Want to catch up?

REMEMBER: People often mask their symptoms. All you can do is check in and offer your support.

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