Good Mental Boys
By Jo Phillips
The idea that guys should man up and just get on with it when they are suffering with mental well-being issues is no longer seen as a healthy way to approach inner conflict. Mental well-being issues can be heightened during this coronavirus era. The current global pandemic has been thrust upon us suddenly and we are all struggling to adapt to a new normal. It can be challenging to deal with anxiety, depression, and stress when we are bombarded with Covid-19 stats twenty-four hours a day. We cannot escape it and yet we need to give our minds time to think about other things.
The world has not stopped turning since March 2020 when the pandemic really took hold. We have had to carry on working while worrying about the health of our families. Men can often feel like they need to be the gender to provide, maintain composure, and fix things. Hyper-masculinity can make men put too much pressure on themselves. The advent of social media has simply exemplified this. If you are struggling or you have a guy in your life who is finding these surreal days tough, you need to follow this guide to help them through their turmoil.
Social Media
Being confronted with Facebook stories, Twitter feeds, and Instagram images of coronavirus stats and personal tragedies, means it can be hard to switch off from the sorrow that the pandemic has caused. While we need to be aware of what is going on around us and we don’t want to be ignorant of Covid-19, we can be exposed to too much. If your thoughts are taken up with the pandemic all the time, you struggle to think of anything else, and your mind is still whirring when your head hits the pillow at night, you have an issue that needs addressing.
Taking a social media detox or limiting the time you spend on Facebook or Twitter can help manage your exposure to worrying content. Ensure that you put a screen time monitor on your smartphone. It can help you to become more self aware of the time you are spending on social media. If you see the minutes accruing, consider switching off your smartphone and tablets at least two hours before you head to bed. This will help you to find a more relaxing sleep routine. Your blood pressure will drop to normal levels, your stressful feelings will diminish, and you won’t have such an active mind when you head to bed.
To fill the time left by the absence of social media, connect with your friends and family via Zoom or Skype. Being social and talking about things other than coronavirus should help you to find a better sense of normal. You need to head outside too. Being in the great outdoors rather than having your eyes glued to a screen will help you to see the bigger picture. Being surrounded by greenery is scientifically proven to relieve stress and anxiety. You can enjoy breathing in some fresh air, you can soak up some Vitamin D from the sun, and you can be more active. This will prevent you from procrastinating and letting your thoughts run away from you into a more negative mindset.
Focus On Yourself
Men aren’t always great at focusing on themselves. They don’t tend to use their friends as soundboards and have a habit of bottling up their feelings. If you are eager to make yourself feel a little more comfortable with the new normal that has been thrust upon you, it’s crucial that you can focus on you. If your job stability is under threat because the industry that you work in has been hit hard by Covid-19, you might feel your confidence slowly ebbing away. Combat this by giving yourself an image overhaul. Head to the barbers, get a slick haircut, purchase a new suit, find yourself some new brogues, get a new achingly cool coat from Moncler for Men, and begin to feel good about yourself again. Couple your new look with a new briefcase, and you can head to job interviews feeling confident and eager to put yourself out there.
While image is often seen in a negative and shallow light, positive body image is something that men rarely talk about. But, feeling good about yourself will permeate your personality and your ability to succeed.
Do Something New
To combat intrusive thoughts and to stop them manifesting, sitting on the sofa and watching box sets on Netflix is not the best course of action. You need to think about doing something new to channel your thoughts down a more positive avenue. Consider how you can best use the extra time that you are spending at home. If you want to learn a new language, you can sign up to online class. If you have a guitar gathering dust in the attic, get it down and learn to play. And if you fancy improving your baking skills, get the recipe books out and start mixing up some flavor sensations. Set aside some time each week to do your activity of choice. This gives you something to look forward to and also adds an element of routine to your days.
Routine is often seen as mundane and boring, but it can also be comforting. If you find yourself working from home, your routine could end up being a savior. Don’t fall into the trap of waking up late, sitting in front of the sofa with the laptop on your lap, and staying in your pajamas all day. You will not be as productive as you can be and you will slip into procrastination habits. You need to get up at the same time each day, shower, and dress smart casual. Try and set aside an area of the home that is quiet and conducive to work. A study is perfect for this. At the very least, you should have a desk even if it’s the dining room table. Have an hour’s lunch break every day and don’t succumb to the elaborate mammoth three hours lunchtimes.
Men who haven’t encountered mental well being issues before are now starting to struggle with anxiety, worries, and stress. The new normal that has been forced upon us can make us feel hopeless and out of control. With no end in sight, it can be difficult to remember the edict of ‘this too shall pass. Indeed, it will. You can get through this even though it may be a struggle at times. Follow this guide and look after your mental health during this global pandemic.
