One of the most common cultural similarities that can be found all over the world is the importance of a man simply being a man. That might sound a little vague to most of us, but the definition of it is crystal clear to those men who may not be the most emotionally healthy. It means “sucking it up”, getting over it and keep moving because, after all, men are not supposed to show emotion. The following list entails some of the most important reasons why men should strive for an emotionally healthy life.

Often, when emotionally unhealthy men become involved in a relationship, they are seen as unemotional, harsh and bossy by their partners. This leads their partners to believe that they might be suffering from mental health issues. However, there is an important distinction between mental and emotional health. Mental includes the ability or inability to process information while emotional involves expressing emotions. This stems from a man's upbringing , and as mentioned above, it is widely seen across the world due to similar cultural practices. This can be tough on romantic partners as they simply don't understand why their spouses can't show emotion towards them. Not being able to catch this issue in time and remedy it together can have lasting adverse effects on not only a romantic relationship, but other types as well.

Don't bottle up your emotions cause it’s bad for you may not have just been an old saying we’ve all heard. It may actually be true. If you notice, men often hear this from their mothers or other female figures in their life. The reason behind that is because they understand the importance of showing emotion and the negative health issues bottling them up can cause. Unfortunately, many men have a tough time implementing this into their lives because it was so ingrained into their personality as a child. The impact of cultural expectations on men can be exacerbated by childhood trauma, causing only 25% of male sexual abuse victims to come forward while still children, which, in turn, results in the majority of victims not receiving the help and support they need to heal mentally or emotionally.

To suppress emotions is to detour yourself from full mental healing. It cannot be stressed enough that you should be speaking out to friends, family or a professional about any issues that you may be bottling up inside. Your mental health is at stake.

One of the things that emotionally healthy men have in common is their incredible health. Many of them tend to be drawn to going outdoors, traveling and simply be a part of society. Individuals who are not the most emotionally healthy can experience the entire opposite. This often leads to a sedentary lifestyle; overeating; and sometimes, a growing issue with alcohol. It is highly recommended that these types of signs are taken seriously as an indication of a bigger problem.

The need to focus on mental and emotional health has, thankfully, become more prominent in society. Speak with male figures in your life, talk in-depth about any issues they may want to express and look for the signs. It's never too late to become emotionally healthy.

We help people who need to hit the reset button in their lives. Contact us today about individual therapy.