Often men suffer in silence, because society has taught them to feel that admitting their problems is a weakness. For me it’s vitally important that men don’t feel judged for seeking help. I’m happy to know that in recent years conversations about men’s mental health have been taking place, because it’s an important area that needs to be taken seriously.
Many men are under career and financial pressure, as well as the pressure to achieve, and all of these expectations can take their toll on mental and physical health. Not to mention the pressure to ‘man up’ and just get on with it; it’s no wonder that the biggest killer of men under 45 is suicide.
In our society people live stressful lives, and stress and anxiety that go untreated and unchecked can end up manifesting themselves in a range of physical ailments – from lower back pain, tight neck & shoulders to migraines IBS, sleep problems, to feeling more tetchy, argumentative or being withdrawn, to more personal complaints like erectile dysfunction or loss of libido and fertility issues.
Coping mechanisms can include excessive alcohol use or substance abuse, gambling, risk taking behavior or pornography additions. None of these is healthy and long term will make matters worse.
When I work with men, I work in a non judgemental way. I aim to look to the root of the problem and then work with each individual to find goals and solutions. Both physical and mindset can be addressed as part of any treatment. Often the focus becomes preventative – dealing with current problems and then working towards creating a healthy and sustainable lifestyle with my client.
I offer a free 30 minute consultation so that each client has the opportunity to discuss what is going on for them without any pressure to proceed with treatment and to make sure that they feel happy and confident to work with me.