Mental Health Resources For Men

Confidence.  As men, we are supposed to walk and talk with a swagger.  Feeling invincible.  Being able to conquere the world. This is what many men are taught from a young age.  So what happens over time?  Why do men lose that swagger or the confidence that anything can be conquered with hard work? Does being confident as a man mean he has to hide his disappointments, failures or struggles?  Is the only available outlet for disappointment a physical one?  If he shows emotion, is he showing weakness or acceptance that he is a failure? Why does he walk with his head down or his hands in his pockets all the time?  Why is he always on his phone? My own opinion is that, as a man, I have to be confident that whether I am successful or fail, I can move forward and try again.  If I do not pick myself up, who will?  I realized long ago I am in total control of anything I do or feel.  Any thing I watch, read or decide to be a part of is...

Good Morning! Suicide is not a topic most us want to talk about.  As a matter of fact, we ususally try to avoid the conversation.  Sunday is often a day we think about church and family.  But what about those that do not have a chance to go to church?  Maybe it is a matter of a person's beliefs.  What about spending time with family?  Everyone has family they can be with or visit, right?  Many people do not have the opportunity to be with family due to work, location, school or other endless reasons.  Isolation and loneliness sometimes set in and we begin to think, reflecting on our relevance to others or even why we exist.  Who would miss us?  Maybe we feel used, supporting others but never receiving the support in return.  Did someone take away a persons self worth by going out of the way to show that person how worthless he is to the world? The path can become very dark making him feel he is out of options...

Hello Everyone! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/302022718733157400/ Today I wanted to bring some awareness to mental disorders men battle every day such as PTSD (Post-Tramatic Stress Disorder), depression, eating and bipolar issues. The University of Rochester Medical Center has a Health Encyclopedia that breaks down various disorders and the symptoms displayed with each disorder. I have copied and included a link to the University of Rochester Medical Center's page. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=4565 Men and Mental Illness Mental illness is a difficult challenge for anyone to face. It can affect men and women of any age. But because mental illness can cause different symptoms in men than in women, some disorders in men may be harder to recognize. Men who are depressed, for example, may appear angry and irritable rather than sad and withdrawn. It also may be more difficult for men suffering from depression to see...

Hello and welcome to Friday!!! Each and everyday I try to come up with information that could help someone. The word of today is TRAVEL. To travel does not mean to spend a huge amount of money or that a person has to go somewhere exotic.  Travel means to get away, to go somewhere you have never been.  The destination could be close by or across the oceans. We sometimes get so locked up into our daily lives that we forget that we need to feed ourselves mentally.  The visual of seeing a place you have never been before or being around people from a different area feeds our minds. There are those of us that say we are too busy or we cannot afford to go anywhere. Don't make excuses.  Life is too short.  We need to live life and not let life dictate how we live. Appreciate each day we are given and try to see those sights shown in books or on television. Make yourself a promise.  Put down the technology and go. I believe that the world is mean...

Hello Everyone! Today is Wednesday, also known as Hump Day!  Most of us see this as the beginning of the end of the work week.  We are finally at the top and now it is all downhill to the weekend. Mental health is also an everyday issue we are faced with, always climbing a hill, hoping to one day reach the top and recover as we go down the hill on the other side. Today, CNN published an article titled "A suicide attempt in an Army unit can lead to more, study finds" by By Jacqueline Howard, CNN.  http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/26/health/military-suicide-attempts-study/index.html . It is necessary to stay informed on the issues causing people to commit the act of suicide.  The article was based on a study published by JAMA titled , "Risk of Suicide Attempt Among Soldiers in Army Units With a History of Suicide Attempts" by Robert J. Ursano, MD1; Ronald C. Kessler, PhD2; James A. Naifeh, PhD1; et al. http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticl...

Hello Everyone! Hopefully we all had a good weekend, and if we didn't, let's get the week off to a great start! Most people will complain about Monday.  The most dreded day of the week.  Why is Monday so hated? Look at today as a new start.  A day to create a new beginning. https://cavemandad.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/monday-motivation/ Everyday, no matter what day of the week it is, provides us with an opportunity to hit the reset button or just simply start from scratch to make our goals into a reality. Here is some Monday music to kick start your week: Come Monday - Jimmy Buffett https://youtu.be/XKGw_hrlaOY The Bangles - Manic Monday https://youtu.be/SsmVgoXDq2w Maroon 5 - Sunday Morning https://youtu.be/S2Cti12XBw4 Tap your toes, sit back for a moment, and find what inspires you! Have a great day! As Always Your Friend, Ali

Hello Everyone! First, I hope all of you out there are excited about the gift of another day. Second, find something to smile about or a reason to feel good. Although not everyone gets to enjoy the day off on a Saturday because of work or other obligations,  there is always something we can find to smile about.   A picture or something we see, or maybe just  a memory. I decided to turn on YouTube and watch Tomorrowland 2017 live.   https://youtu.be/5op_5MI6Wh4 What is this you may be wondering. It is a huge EDM (Electronic Dance Music) festival.  Many people tell me I am too old or ask  why do I listen to that noise.   My response is always I am open to all types of music and the  experiences that the music brings.  I have been to all types of concerts and listen to many types of  music.  Some people who know me would say I go to too many.  Others are amazed I find the time t...

Hello Everyone, Yesterday I was sitting at home working on my computer when a news notification appeared.   "Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington dead".   Chris Cornell, the Soundgarden frontman also committed suicide when he hung himself on May 18, 2017. I admittedly am a fan of both rock groups.  They have created great, memorable music.  There were posts on Facebook mentioning how the music of Linkin Park helped them deal with bullying and other issues at school. My first question is always, "Why didn't anyone see the signs or talk to the person if they did?" It seems so simple, but it happens way too often with men, in this case Chester Bennington of Linkin Park who was about to begin a US Tour to entertain large crowds of people with music from their latest album. I would like to share an article I found on CNN.com.  What we need to learn from Linkin Park frontman's death Updated 0143 GMT (0943 HKT) July 21, 2017 By Cl...

Good Morning!!! I woke up early this morning thinking about yesterday.  What did I accomplish?  Who did I help out? Did I spend time doing something just for me? The answer to each one of these was answered.  I cleaned up and got rid of old papers that were taking up space and only reminded me of the past. When I went for a walk, I had $2.00 in my pocket.  I stopped in a store to buy a bottle of water, but as I left the store, I noticed a homeless person sitting next to a garbage can for shade.  I knew right away I was going to give the bottle of water to that person because he needed it more than me.  I could suffer walking a few more blocks and drink a glass of water when I got back to where I live. A lady saw me and said that was a very gracious thing to do and said she was going to do the same thing but I beat her to it.  She offered to buy me lunch at a nearby restaurant, which I initially refused, but she insisted because she wanted to...

Hello everyone! Today I have decided to share a couple articles about foods that are known to help you feel good. There are so many ways a person can make himself feel better about life and food is one way that I am sure most of us would accept. I have always enjoyed cooking and now use many of these foods when putting together dishes.  It keeps me from eating out very often, while giving me the opportunity to create some great flavors. The first article is from The GoodFood of BBC Worldwide Ltd. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/10-foods-make-you-feel-fantastic-0 Stock up your trolley with these 10 superfoods and you'll feel and look better than ever... Blueberries Blueberries The ultimate immune-boosting food. Rich in anti-oxidants. Recipe suggestions: American blueberry pancakes Apple & blueberry bircher Fruitburst muffins Carrots Carrot High in carotene, known to boost the immune system. Recipe suggestions: Skinny carrot fries Carrot, ...