June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to shine light on the mental health challenges many men face. Experts with Gro Community in Carbondale say breaking that silence is often the first step toward healing.
CARBONDALE, Ill. (WSIL) — June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to shine light on the mental health challenges many men face. Experts with Gro Community in Carbondale say breaking that silence is often the first step toward healing.
For many men, saying “I’m fine” can hide a much deeper struggle. Dr. Ryan Reed with Gro Community says men are often less likely to seek help for conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress due to stigma and societal expectations.
“Most times when you ask a man, how are they doing? They say, fine and fine can mean an array of things, I’m actually fine. Or do you have enough time to listen and you care to listen?” Reed said.
Gro Community provides trauma-informed care for black and brown boys and men in Southern Illinois. Reed says vulnerability is often seen as a weakness among men.
“Being vulnerable is considered a sign of weakness. I remember talking to some of my clients about the power behind being vulnerable and they were like, I don’t want to be conceived as being vulnerable. I don’t want to be seen as being sensitive,” Reed said.
Not addressing mental health could end up deadly. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women.
“And most times it’s because we aren’t talking about it. Especially when it comes to depression. When it comes to anxiety, when it comes to post-traumatic stress disorder,” Reed said.
Reed says changing that starts with creating more opportunities around mental health. He says many men grow up hearing messages like big boys don’t cry or showing emotion is a weakness.
“It’s time to put more emphasis into talking about the things that we are afraid to talk about, the things that we are taught not to talk about. Talking to men about the importance of seeking help. It’s not just about going to counseling and talking about some of your deepest darkest secrets,” Reed said.
He says the stigma can be harder within the black and brown community.
“But sometimes it’s a lot stronger. Especially with the cultural narrative that you have to go through. Especially with the music genres that you listen to, especially with how we’re depicted in media. A lot of times our passion as black men is mistaken for anger or rage or frustration,” Reed said.
As Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month continues, Reed has health events planned for June for the younger guys in his program. The activities include camping, sports, horseback riding and animal therapy.
“Animal therapy because animal therapy and horse therapy has been used for a long time to treat issues such as depression, oppositional defined disorder, conduct disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues,” Reed said.
Reed hopes more men recognize that resources are available. He says whether it’s individual counseling, group therapy or community support, there is no one path to healing.
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