Dan talks about suicide and living with mental health problems for almost 28 years before he asked for professional help after telling his wife he wants to die!!
SO WHY DO MEN CHOOSE TO SUFFER IN SILENCE?
One of the main reasons is societal gender norms; men should be “tough” and “fearless” and they aren’t really men if they show any sign of weakness. This is called “toxic masculinity”. Some men may also find it difficult to verbalise or even recognise their problems.
Left undetected and untreated, it can lead men to suffer from immense hopelessness, withdrawal and a shutdown of normal activity. It’s important to recognise the signs and encourage each other to speak about how we’re feeling – there’s no shame in feeling vulnerable, lost or sad; everyone experiences these emotions.
We strive to help spread awareness by sharing stories. Sharing stories helps to educate and comfort others. This Man up attitude has got to stop!
“Stigma Does Not Define Us”
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