Men need to talk about their feelings and thoughts

Suicide is now the leading cause of death in men under the age of 50. This is a striking statistic one we all need to think about. And talk about.
Is it tougher to be a man now? I’m not sure but the constant presence of social media and social pressures through advertising, peer group, media and other signals mean that it is difficult for men to work out who they are, what they stand for and how to be true to themselves. Especially when who they are may be different from the image they project or the one their friends or family expect them to be.
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Think of the increasingly dominant phrase ‘man up’, used any time a man moans about feeling ill or worried. The suggestions behind that phrase are terrible when you stop and look. It places the idea of masculinity at some high plateau, where we must be strong and stoic.
Let’s talk openly about what we feel and our thoughts, especially when what we feel and think could be damaging us. In other words, let's not man up. Let's speak out. Sometimes we need to find someone removed from our social circle who is completely non-judgemental and who can listen and guide us in a direction where we can be true to who we really are and start leading a rich, rewarding and meaningful life.