A little off the top – men and their mental health.

A little off the top – men and their mental health. Men opening up to their barber. Men getting help with their mental health from their barber…….

A little off the top: men and their mental health.Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock since 2019, you know all about the mental-health crisis impacting millions around the world. And as if that weren’t enough, the mental-health professionals charged with their car, are struggling to keep up.

While challenges in the mental-health care profession aren’t new, with shortages of therapists and so on it’s really been taxed since COVID. What’s worse, is that it seems equally challenging to figure out how to fix it. Despite the fact that many government leaders have acknowledged that something must be done.

So, while we wait and wait and wait, we suffer. Luckily however, the human spirit is strong and our ability to adapt, remarkable. And as flawed as the human species may be, it is equally charged in the direction for survival. In other words, many of us won’t wait for leadership to try to fix things.

And as far as I can tell, we’re all the better for it. Thankfully, there are many trying to do their part to ease the suffering during this unprecedented time in history.

What immediately comes to mind are the many mental-health advocates that lift their weary heads every day to try and help. They are an amazing bunch because even though they struggle themselves, they still want to do their part.

Six mental health advocates to follow.

But that’s not all folks; there are many other organizations out there, like Kids Help phone and crisis services Canada. Just to name a few; additionally, many nations have suicide hotlines one can call if one happens to be in crisis.

Recently, there’s been some new and innovative programs that have popped up with the goal of reaching even more sufferers. For instance, The United States has recently implemented a 911 like phone number for mental health. The number 988 is now live for the citizens of the US.

Read: The US has a 911 like number for mental health

Gymshark, a British fitness clothing and accessory manufacturer has come up with a great idea. For a week in July, the 12 to the 17th, they opened a Barbershop called Deload. However, its purpose was more than having the barber take “a little off the top,” It was opened to be a safe space for men.

Alongside being highly skilled barbers, the people doing the cutting were also doing the listening. These barbers were also trained in how to help men with their mental health.

Front and back cover of the road to mental wellness - 8 sings your relationship is hurting your mental health.
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Although it was only up for a week, it was, nonetheless, a great example of thinking outside the box. And since word has gotten around, other places have expressed interest in the idea.

Are you a man living in Canada? Need help? Canadian Centre for Men and Families

While initially, the concept may be limited to a small area, if it helps three men for example, then just think of the benefits to the community. So, scaled up, unique ideas like this could make a real impact.

At the end of the day, we can’t always wait for those in power to do what’s right but rather, we must solve the problems ourselves. And in the case of the barbershop? It’s all about helping one person at a time.

Message from Jonathan.

As the Founder and Chief content creator for http://theroadtomentalwellness.com, I would like to thank you all for stopping by. We work hard on our content with the reader in mind. Our purpose, to help others by telling our stories. We hope that we are delivering on our mission. Please, let us know if you have found it helpful in the comments sections or follow us on social media and let us know there. Remember, you are not alone, we are all in this together. Please, like and share our content. Especially if you feel like others can benefit from our own experiences. We all thank you for taking the time to read and share our content. Please come back and keep up to date.

Finally, take care of yourself and if you need help, go to our Mental Health Resources Page.

Jonathan Arenburg

Jonathan Reginald-Nixon Arenburg (Born January 14, 1976) is a Canadian mental health blogger, speaker, and published author. Retired from the fire service and long-term care fields, he has written and self-published an autobiographical account of his life-long battle with anxiety, depression and more recently, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Titled, The Road To Mental Wellness, he wrote it for what he calls “therapeutic release.” He published it in hopes it would help others going through similar mental health conditions. The sales of The Road To Mental Wellness have been steady selling over 300 copies since its release on October 10, 2021(World Mental Health Day). Arenburg has also been involved in a collaborative publication Called Lemonade Stand Volume III, a book featuring 20 authors who bravely tell their stories of PTSD. All authors where from the military and or emergency services. Published by Joshua Rivedal and Kathleen Myers for the i’Mpossible project, a mental health advocacy organization. Jonathan has also appeared on several mental health podcasts including The Depression Files, A New Dawn, and The Above Ground Podcast Arenburg has also consulted with the Government of Nova Scotia and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, the Honorable Brian Comer and Candidates for the New Democratic Party of Canada, on improving the mental health care system in Canada. Additionally, Jonathan was recognized in The Nova Scotia Legislature by the Honorable, Chris Palmer, Kings-North MLA, for his Book, The Road To Mental Wellness, his fight to make the mental health care system better. In addition, Chis acknowledged the support he gives to others.

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