Mental Health in Men

 Did you know that the majority of suicides in the US are committed by men?  Growing up I never thought much about men having mental health issues.  But as I progressed in life I began to put the pieces together of my life and just how long I have been sufferings for with my own battles.  Too many times we are told (as men) to wipe the tears from your eyes...  Men don't cry...  I know that past generations have had different standards of dealing with mental health and the stigmas attached to them, however I am proud of my millennials and Gen Z's who are making mental issues a prominent topic of discussion.  Too many men and women walk around today struggling.  Struggling to get out of bed that morning, struggling to go to the job that they dislike.  Struggling while smiling so that they don't burden others with their issues.  How many people do you know if your life that are struggling?  If you knew all of the individuals that struggled that come and go from your life on a daily basis then you would quickly realize that we are all fighting a struggle somewhere along the way.  For years I knew that I was a kid that was scared, scared to be along.  Scared that I was not good enough at anything, scared that I wouldn't amount to anything.  Scared that people who read this will judge me and see me in a different light.  But here we are huh?  Me typing this rambling out and you taking the time out of your day to potentially read it.  I know that the pandemic has brought out some of the worst depression/anxieties for individuals.  I know it has affected my family and we continue to over come those barriers of the pandemic one day at a time.  I know that I tend to jump around with my writing but try to stay with me here.  I know that life sucks, I know there are days where we want to just give it all up.  I know there are days that we may wish we dont wake up, we've all been there whether you want to admit it or not.  Also there is no shame in admitting that you have felt like that.  A lot of times those thoughts can weigh heavy on our minds and drive us down even further in our despair...  The darkness seems as if it will never leave and the struggle will continue day in and day out.  I've been there and I am there....  I'm not ashamed to admit it.  The days at times seem daunting and they seem like nothing good will come of them.  There have been times where I feel like I am a let down to those around me, especially in my current position at work.  All my life I have been told that I was not good enough for this and that and I believe/d it.  I have a vision to start a web development company and finally be on my own, but I am scared that I will fail and prove those right along the way that have told me that I am not good enough.  Even though I know the good work that I can do, I am still afraid to really take that step and go for it.  I often times try to remind myself that life is short and that at some point in time you have to take a shot at something if you want to succeed (that's how I got my wife lol).  Many days I want to push a little harder to reach that goal, but many days I just let the darkness take over and convince myself that I can't do it, because I am not good enough.  I let the negative emotions take hold and ruin me.  They have had my hand for so long that I am not sure what it would be like to live without them.  But what if...  What if instead of running from the darkness, that we begin to embrace it for what it is...  A reason to keep going.  We are floating around this rock in the middle of space.  Our minds can't even begin to comprehend just how big space actually is, but here we are thinking that our little decisions hold any weight in comparison to the space around us.  I say that to say this:  Try...  Yes we are just a blip in time, but why not try to make your blip in time a great one?  I know that it is much easier typed out than it is to put into practice, but one day we will look back on life and will be full of regrets or will be rage against the dying of the light because we still have more to give?  I know that at times I always feel like I will be surrounded by my regrets in life when I am leaving this plane of existence but I am a work in progress.  A slow work in progress, but a work in progress none the less.  I left this message unpublished for a while as I did not know how to finish it nor was I certain I wanted to post it.  But here we are....  Posting for all of 3 people to read, but never give up.  We all struggle in some way shape or form.  We all fight secrete battles that we cannot see, so be kind to one another.  I know in today's world that may be difficult, but just remember that a simple smile can go a long way...

Until next time