Men’s mental health: Why it’s time to reimagine ideas of masculinity
not be a man and just express their fears, and occasionally, cry, whether at work or at home — sadly, often even with their male peers and friends — adds to the difficulty," says Anoop Rao, founder of ReLife, a leadership coaching and consulting service in Hyderabad. “I’ve seen many cases where even after being diagnosed with a mental health condition, the person has refused to work on it owing to the fear of judgement," says Kalpesh More, a facilitator and farmer who had initiated Biraadari, an online men’s circle during covid-19. Also, when it comes to men, some common mental health conditions are normalised, notes More.
For example, anger issues in men are often ignored as something that needs to be addressed. There is also a significant urban – rural disparity when it comes to access to resources for mental health for men, he observes. It is, then, unsurprising that most men prefer not to speak about their mental health issues or seek support, in order to fit into the accepted social construct of being a man.
As a society, there’s need for all of us to reflect upon and reimagine ideas around masculinity. This requires imagination, improvisation and intentional action. Valuing both the feminine and masculine energies within oneself is critical for men to start the process of integration into a more whole person.
Indian mythology and wisdom tradition offers a rich tapestry for one to draw inspiration in this aspect. The idea of Ardhanareeshwara where Shiva and Shakti are shown as an integrated whole is perhaps a thought to explore deeper for oneself. Jungian psychologists like Gareth S.
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