Experts urge accessible mental healthcare for men

Mental health experts have urged men facing mental health challenges to break the silence by openly discussing their struggles and seeking medical assistance when needed.

The experts, who spoke during ‘A fight for life ” event organised by Mindfully with Tunmise Podcast, also emphasised the important role accessible mental healthcare could play in addressing healthcare challenges.

In her welcome address, host of Minfully with Tunmise Podcast and Lead Coach at Blackhemages Coaching, Oluwatumise Kuku, said the event was a call to address the mental health struggles men often face in silence.

Kuku, who drew inspiration from her personal experience with her father’s struggles with bipolar affective disorder, emphasised the need for men to be vulnerable and seek help without fear of judgment.
She urged men and women to not take things personally and women to allow men to be vulnerable without judgment.

Also, a psychologist, Dr Olugbenga Coker, emphasised the need for men to break free from the cultural norms that discourage them from expressing vulnerability and seeking help for their mental health.

According to Coker, the societal expectation that men should be strong and stoic has led to a culture of silence, where men struggle with mental health issues in secret.
He also advocated for men to check their daily habits, maintain a balance, and practise meditation and self-care.

A cross-cultural creator and value creation enthusiast, Emmanuel E-Bright, in his remarks, emphasised the need for regular retreats, saying this would help reduce the mental health struggles men face daily.