Why don’t men talk about their mental health?
Over the last few years, we have seen as many men as women at our Bali retreats and most are struggling with depression. Male depression is a serious medical condition, but many men try to ignore it or refuse treatment. And men are less likely than women to reach out for help.
Asking for help can be hard for men. But without treatment, depression is unlikely to go away, and it may get worse. Untreated depression can make you and the people close to you miserable. It can cause problems in every aspect of your life, including your health, career, relationships and personal safety.
Depression can affect men and women differently. When depression occurs in men, it may be masked by unhealthy coping behavior. Depression, even if it’s severe, usually improves with medications or psychological counseling (psychotherapy) or both.
Like women with depression, men with depression may:
- Feel sad, hopeless or empty
- Feel extremely tired
- Have difficulty sleeping or sleep too much
- Not get pleasure from activities usually enjoyed
Other behaviors in men that could be signs of depression — but not recognized as such — include:
- Escapist behavior, such as spending a lot of time at work or on sports
- Physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive problems and pain
- Problems with alcohol or drug use
- Controlling, violent or abusive behavior
- Irritability or inappropriate anger
- Risky behavior, such as reckless driving
Our retreat program has been well received by men from around the world. Able to come away from day-to-day life, our male clients have felt more willing to open up completely, addressing issues they may never have spoken about before. Intensive therapy (we offer a minimum of 24 hours of 1:1 CBT at our retreats) in an environment that is conducive to healing can make all the difference.
Come on, guys – get in touch!