3 Ways To Help The Men In Your Life Cope With Coronavirus Anxiety & Depression
The current pandemic may compromise some men's mental health.
getty This is an unusual time for a lot of people. The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has been affecting everyone's mental health.
Being stuck indoors, even with our loved ones for 24 hours a day, is not natural. Many people are stressing and living in fear. And fear can be overwhelming sometimes, leading to depression and anxiety.
The worst part about fear is that it can derail you, causing you to spiral downwards more and more. If you are like most people who are watching the news constantly, you will find life even scarier.
I am more worried about the men in my life. They are not great at expressing how they feel, especially when it comes to fear and anxiety. They will express these emotions as impatience, anger, and sometimes even aggression.
If you happen to have men in your life — whether they are your spouse, father, brothers, or other male relations — you might be worried about them.
During times of stress, men usually give their loved ones their strong shoulders to hold us when we are stressing or crying. Guys are so good at it that sometimes it seems like they don’t feel fear.
However, it's even tougher for men's mental health when there is a problem they can’t fix — such as the global health crisis affecting all of us today.
So, if you are worried about the mental health of the men in your life, what can you do?
Here are 3 ways to help men cope with coronavirus anxiety, fear, and depression.
1. Tell them why you’re worried.
The first thing is to check in on them. Tell them that you’re worried about them and their mental health, and why you’re worried.
Say something like:
"How are you holding up? This is a very scary time, how are you coping? Please don’t do that 'brave man' thing and hold in everything. Promise me you will tell me when things are getting too stressful.
"I promise I will tell you, too, but not so that you can fix it for me. You can be my hero by taking care of your emotions.
"If you feel I am a bit too much for you or I will make too much fuss, please promise me that you will find someone to confide in."
Express the importance of looking after their mental health.
2. Help them find solutions.
If they do come to you for help, think logically about what they can do to ease the stress. Encourage them to move their body because it helps to release some of the tension and stress.
Even if they are not the gym type, you can advise them to do press-ups or other types of exercise at home. They can go for a walk or talk about how they feel with friends and family.
Help keep them updated but avoid the news as much as possible, and especially social media. Use verified and authentic sources of information to keep informed.
Meditation and other breathing exercises may help them ease their stress and pressure as well.
3. Keep in touch.
Keeping in touch just to say, "Hey" is great. Talk about other things that you’re doing. Maybe you're reading, knitting, or baking. You could have Zoom meetings regularly.
Talking to each other and being together virtually is helpful to ensure people don’t feel isolated all the time. While keeping in touch, tell them how important they are to you.
If you are worried about the mental health of someone you care about, then you need to keep in touch with them and help them with solutions you come across.
Let them know that they are not alone, that you’re worried about them, and why you’re worried. And, you, too, need to keep healthy and stay safe.
Melody Chadamoyo is a certified Law of Attraction and relationship coach. For more information on her services, visit her website or reach out by booking an appointment.