According to psychologists, it’s the events that happen in our lives that determine our mental health. Often the problems start early on, usually in childhood. Many of us had to put up with an abusive parent or teacher when we were young. It was a difficult time, and we often felt under threat, even endangered. Now that we’re grown up, we’re no longer at risk of physical attack. But the psychological scars remain, meaning we perceive attack where none is forthcoming.
Professionals call this trauma. It’s akin to what soldiers in the First World War experienced in their return home. So dangerous was their environment that their brains are adapted. Any loud noise suddenly caused them to feel the urge to duck for cover. Something very similar is happening in men today – even if they haven’t been in the military. Their experiences have taught them that people are fundamentally dangerous, and they have adapted.
This causes many men to fall into habits of self-rumination. They worry about what others will think all the time, just in case they’re attacked. Without controlling this urge, it’s easy to slip into depression and anxiety. So what can be done about it?
Do The Basics
We have a tendency in the West to separate the brain and body. But the brain is just another part of the body and as a result, whatever affects our general health also affects our brains. The advice, therefore, is to eat well, sleep plenty and drink moderately.
It’s also important to keep your BMI in check. Being overweight predisposes men to greater bouts of depression and anxiety. Getting your physical health right provides fertile soil for any improvement in your state of mind.
Mindfulness
The conclusion of one of the biggest studies ever conducted found that people feel most depressed when they allow their minds to wander. A wandering mind is a precursor of feeling depressed or anxious. As soon as your mind starts to wander, you start ruminating. You begin to think about the ways in which you are inadequate, and that causes you to feel down about yourself. You also start to worry about what other people think about you, which is just an alternative route to the same ultimate problem. Being mindful, and knowing how your thought processes work is, therefore, important. It’s important because it allows you to pinpoint when you’re going astray.
Join An Online Support Community
Mindfulness is an ancient technology. The internet is a modern technology. But that doesn’t mean that the web has no role to play in helping us improve our mental health.
Getting psychiatry online is often a cost-effective way of dealing with issues like depression. Communities often have hundreds of articles to read, videos to watch and forums for asking questions.
The purpose is to provide a support framework that is always available. Often just being able to talk through problems with a professional is a way to deal with issues. Learning itself can be an important way to help your outlook on life improve.