ARP 348 - Bear Grylls App and Men's Mental Health Resources

In 2024, of the things we have to change is the active cultural block against men seeking mental health treatment. We don't have time for it. 

All hands on deck or at least pull the ropes trying to point the ship in the right direction. 

This episode is a little different because it is resource focus. Go to Helpguide.org to learn about therapy or to Heads Up Guys to learn about stress. Or use the Mettle app from Bear Grylls.

What I don't want you to do is suffer, grit your teeth and take it. Because that is causing some good people to reconsider their time on the planet. 

If the assholes won't go, why should you?

Just saying.

In this episode, a look at a few men's mental health resources.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

U.S. National Institute of Mental Health page on Men and Mental Health and their page on What is Anxiety?

Infographic from Mental Health America about Mental Health for Men

The Canadian website called Heads Up Guys have self-guided courses on anxiety, mindfulness and depression topics. It is a project of the University of British Columbia. The site has a lot of information dealing with depression, with roadmaps, stress management tips and more.

The Anxiety and Depression Association has a dedicated page on anxiety that includes statistics, symptoms and links to other pages about treatment options.

Adventure Bear Grylls is the co-founder of a new mental health app for men. It is called Mettle. You can find more information at the app website https://bemettle.com/

Australian Beyond Blue gateway page about men and mental health topics.

UK Mental Health Foundation page on Why Men Don't Talk About Mental Health

ARP Episode 161 Finding a Therapist, contains a list of therapists directories. 

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Resting Anxiety Face Video by Tales of Mere Existence

I don't remember when or how I found Lev's videos or his YouTube channel, Tales of Mere Existence.

I like the simplicity of them, the storytelling and the humor in the dark spaces of life.  It was many years later that I learned about the anxiety and social anxiety component of the videos.

I loved them even more.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP 347 - Ottawa Personal Decision Guide

There are a lot of decisions that you have to make when you are seeking treatment.

Hopefully you find a good doctor or a mental health professional to guide you though the process. Those are aspirational goals by the way. You might run into a doc that just wants to give you medication and then report back in four weeks. 

Or you can't find or afford a provider in your area. I would suggest that you take some time and work on a decision guide as to what you want and don't want concerning your treatment. 

This can mean getting a physical and diagnostic test to rule out another cause for your symptoms.

Or reviewing therapists to figure out the behavioral treatment options. Do you want short term or an extended treatment process? In person or virtual care?

A decision guide can help you plan out what you want and need to navigate the process.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resource Mentioned: 

The Ottawa Personal Decision Guide can help you organize your thoughts about a decision you need to make about your treatment options.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP 346 - Breathing Practice Using Fidget Spinners

In January, you often hear about the aspirational pledges. No shopping. No drinking alcohol. 

Go vegan or as close to it as you can get. My year round goal is to get folks at a basic level to take time to breath. Slow it down. Chill as in being quiet. Not as in ice baths. 

Me in a former incarnation; "Nuts to you, I breath all of the time. I still have symptoms."

Future me: "Yeah, you dope. You also drink six cans of Coke or Dr. Pepper a day. Your diet is atrocious (but very tasty) and your rocking at best five hours of sleep a night.

Fortunately, former me studied at the school of hard knocks that the body need clean fuel, time to regenerate and making time on the daily to slow it down and practice breathing. And yes, give up the carbonation with the caffeine chaser.

So in this episode, if you happen to have a fidget spinner or fidget ring then dig it out and try this breathing practice. If you don't have one, no worries you can do it with a pebble, pen or pencil or small palm sized object.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

SAMSHA Disaster Distress Hotline is 1–800–985–5990 for voice or text calls. You can also access the Incidents of Mass Violence page to learn more about it, the symptoms and other resources. 

Mindful.org has a beginners guide to understanding and using meditation. For some people, meditation is a vital part of the treatment process. Please understand there are multiple ways to meditate. There is a text and audio version on the site.

Hands on Meditation YouTube channel with a beginners practice cycle. 

If you are truly pressed for time, there is Dr. All Mattu 40 seconds of a breathing practice.

There is a short 2:30-ish beginners practice from Hand’s On Meditation. 

Cleveland Clinic page on How to do the 4-7-8 Breathing exercise. It goes into more detail on the why it works and some variations to improve the effects of the practice. 

National Institute of Mental Health PDF on I'm So Stressed Out Fact Sheet. 

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP 345 Ideophobia or Fear of Ideas

With all of the book banning in the United States, a person could make a case that some sections of the country has ideophobia or the fear of ideas. 

Might also be bibliophobia. 

In this episode, a quick look at the definition of Ideophobia.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

Mind.org.uk Causes of Phobias self-help guide.

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/phobias/causes-of-phobias/ 

Mental Health America has an information page about phobias, the types of phobias and the treatment option of cognitive behavioral therapy.

From the UK National Health Service, a self-help guide to phobias, what they are and what you can do about them. 

ADAA has on-line communities where you can communicate with other people that have your experience share their stories, experiences and there are mental health professionals that post helpful resources.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.