Don’t tell your child to ‘Man Up’

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Don’t tell your child to ‘Man Up!’

 Instead of telling your child to ‘man up’ you should tell them:

  • speak up
  • Cry it out
  • I am here for you

Or else, they will grow up to be men who do not know how to express their feelings, struggle with recognizing their emotions or even feel ashamed to address them.

If you find it difficult to manage your feelings, or communicate them or you know someone who does, it is okay.

We are all work in progress, and the key is to know that these are skills that can be worked on and developed.

Did you know?

  • Men report significantly lower life satisfaction than women
  • 73% of adults who ‘go missing’ are men
  • Men are nearly three times more likely than women to become alcohol dependent
  • Men make up 95% of the prison population
  • 72% of male prisoners suffer from two or more mental disorders
  • Men are nearly 50% more likely than women to be detained and treated compulsorily as psychiatric inpatients
  • Men have measurably lower access to the social support of friends, relatives and community
  • Boys are around three times more likely to receive a permanent or fixed period exclusion than girls

(check the reference below)

The first step is to break the stigma and talk about this: men’s mental health also matters and there is strength and wisdom in asking for help.

Take home message:

Beyond our struggles, we are also human’s with dreams, aspirations, commitments, love and we don’t have to go through life alone.

talk to someone you trust, or seek professional help.

Yours truly,

Dana Berri

Kindness is not just a virtue, it's a way of life. 


References: 

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