Us fellas aren’t usually too great when it comes to opening up about things, but according to a leading website, it’s one of the manliest things we can do.
Dr Rich Mahogany is a huge advocate of ‘gentelmental health’, and while he may technically be a comedy character, he has an important message, and his site is a useful tool for helping men’s health.
Mental health still seems to have a stigma attached to it, which Rich Mahogany is rightfully trying to shake off.
Man Therapy is a website that tackles the pressures of masculinity and mental health.
According to official U.S. statistics, of the approximately 40,000 suicides in 2013, 78% of those were men. Clearly men need more help with their mental health, and also to accept the help that’s available.
Man Therapy was originally started up to help men of working age in Colorado, a state with one of the highest suicide rates in America, but it also serves as a brilliant tool, designed to help ‘double-jeopardy’ men… Which means they’re at highest risk of suicide, but least likely to reach out for help.
Clearly, the site uses a humourous approach, and it’s deadpan style and dry humour is there to break through the stigma attached to men’s mental health. The darkest of topics are covered, but include funny quips and swearing (which IS funny sometimes, despite what my mum says), but it keeps the focus on the issues at hand.
Joe Conrad, CEO of Cactus, says:
We wanted to use humor as a bridge and create this character that could really kind of be a guy’s therapeutic guide, helping them talk about those issues in a disarming way — using humor with a fun, quirky personality.
The site has reached way beyond it’s initial intention of Colorado state, and is now racking up views from all over the the U.S. and the rest of the world.
Opening up, talking about your mental health… It’s really not a taboo.
It’s difficult, yes. But it’s not emasculating. It’s important.
Go check out Man Therapy, as well as MIND, if you have even the smallest of issues, they can be helped.
