Raising Mental Health Awareness 2022

Last Updated – October 10, 2022

Mental health awareness is critical in today’s society, considering the increasing challenges that paralyze many. You’re not alone if you’re struggling to get by, feeling down, or even having trouble coping.

We celebrate Mental Health Week in May and World Mental Health Day in October in Canada to emphasize the importance of mental health.

Participants at these events can discuss their work and what needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for everyone.

Oakwood Health Network’s Vision for Men’s Mental Health

We would be pleased to highlight Oakwood Health Network’s mission as an advocate for mental health.

While our primary responsibility is men’s sexual health, we know that Erectile Dysfunction or Peyronie’s Disease significantly impacts men’s mental health, resulting in lower quality of life and even higher mortality rates.

Our expectations for Mental Health in 2022 are

• As healthcare providers, we must strengthen our commitment to mental health.
• It is vital to raise awareness about the best preventive mental health interventions.
• While providing a wide range of services and treatments for men’s sexual health, we must also strengthen our focus on mental health issues.

As you read, we’ll give you tips on improving your mental health and what health benefits you can expect when treating mental health conditions.

Furthermore, we will explore the issue of mental health stressors for men and how mental health and sexual health are related.

Mental Health vs. Covid-19

We have been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic for over two years, which has exacerbated ‌existing mental health matters. According to one research, stress, anxiety, and sadness are all on the rise among Canadians from coast – to coast.

This pandemic has affected individuals of all ages and genders to varying degrees. Below is an outline of a few findings on men’s mental health during the pandemic:

• According to a study of 1,430 Canadians, including almost 794 men, 27 percent reported that their mental health had deteriorated since the pandemic outbreak, and 34 percent reported they were more lonely regularly.
• Men were more reluctant than women to get help in coping with COVID-19-related life changes (49 percent of men compared to 58 percent of women).
• In addition, the poll showed that eight out of ten males believe it is good when people inquire about their well-being, while 40 percent of respondents said nobody had inquired about their well-being throughout the pandemic.
• Males aged 45 and older reported feeling less connected to their friends since the outbreak began, just as men aged 18 to 24 reported feeling the same way.

Other Mental Health Matters Affecting Men

The pandemic is not the sole source of stress on our physical and emotional wellbeing. Additionally, stress and anxiety intensify by particular conditions; depression and suicidal thoughts set in more severe instances. Look at some of the prevalent stressors:

• Overburdened men working in inadequate conditions are more likely to suffer from mental health problems.
• Unemployed or retired males are more likely than other men to have depression or commit suicide.
• Men getting divorced are more likely than women to experience depression.
• Men who have been the victims of physical abuse are more likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• If a man faces legal or financial difficulties, his suicide risk increases exponentially.
• Guys who abuse drugs or alcohol are more likely to suffer from mental health problems than other men.
• Men unhappy with their sexual performance for various reasons (organic erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s disease, and others) are at risk of developing mental illnesses.

Raising Men’s Mental Health Awareness

Men and women are both capable of developing similar mental illnesses and problems, although they may manifest themselves in different ways. Some ‌symptoms that are peculiar to men include:

• Anger, impatience, and aggressiveness
• Misuse of alcoholic beverages or drugs
• Suicidal ideas or actions
• Feeling depressed or having difficulty experiencing pleasant emotions.
• Taking part in high-risk activities
• The condition of obsessive-compulsive thought or conduct.

Dealing with Mental Matters

Ignoring or concealing mental illnesses only serves to exacerbate the situation. The rehabilitation process usually begins with recognizing depression and implementing necessary changes in one’s life to overcome it.

Keep in mind that it is not simple, but it is achievable!

• It takes courage to do this.
• It takes a lot of strength.
• It will take effort.
• It is doable.

6 Tips for Mental Health First Aid

1.    Improve your sleep quality

When you don’t get enough rest, you don’t act or behave as normally. Some symptoms include having a shorter fuse, feeling fatigued, becoming easily stressed, or having difficulty thinking clearly. Poor sleep also has the additional effect of dulling your senses.

2.    Use positive coping skills to deal with stressors

It is challenging to deal with stressful events if you have depression. However, there are some things you can do to prevent stress from taking its toll on your health. These suggestions will take some time to master before they become second nature to you but persevere with them.

• Expend some of your energy.
• Divert your focus.
• Remove yourself from the situation.
• Take a deep breath

3.    Increase your social contact

When a man is sad, social isolation is one of the most challenging issues he must confront. Most men ‌isolate themselves from their family and friends to “protect” themselves. However, the difficulty is that the individuals a man isolates himself from are the ones he requires to be around him when the going gets tough. These suggestions can assist you in maintaining contact with significant persons in your life.

• Have faith in yourself.
• Talk to your friends online or over the phone.
• Be forthright with others.
• Don’t set yourself up for disappointment.

4.    Continue to be active

Physical activity emits chemicals in the brain that reduce stress, increase alertness, and improve general mental wellbeing. It also has the additional benefit of raising one’s self-esteem. Physical activity should be part of your everyday routine because there is so much to earn with nothing to lose.

5.    Consume nutritious foods

Studies have shown that eating fast food and commercially baked products can increase a person’s chance of developing depression. However, what you eat might also be beneficial in the fight against depression. For example, research has discovered that following a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, can help minimize the chances of developing depression.

6.    Maintaining healthy sexual interaction

Researchers have discovered that increasing the level of intimacy in a relationship–including sex–can help to prevent sadness.

Mental Health vs. Sexual Health

The relationship linking mental and sexual health builds on the notion of a seesaw. What exactly does it mean? Healthy sexual relationships can have a favourable impact on your mental health, but different mental diseases might negatively impact your sexual performance.

How does this happen? Let’s examine. As medically acknowledged, various factors can cause erectile dysfunction, including mental health concerns. Erectile Dysfunction, the most frequent condition among men in their 40s, can occur because of several psychological issues. Of course, mental causes of erectile dysfunction are more frequently associated with organic causes, yet, psychogenic erectile dysfunction exists, particularly in young men under the age of 40.

If you are experiencing symptoms of erectile dysfunction, regardless of the cause (organic or psychological), our suggestions will not resolve the issue. You must first see a professional in a men’s health clinic who will analyze your problem using lab tests, physical exams, and a private conversation with a psychologist. You will get the best treatment recommendation based on your disease history.

Contact us at Oakwood Health Network! We are a network of clinics that provide erectile dysfunction treatment in Brampton, Oakville, and Toronto.