Most are well aware that men and women handle their emotions differently, and the way that both genders handle stress is really no different. In general, women appear to handle stress better than men, while men try to ignore it instead of trying to deal with it. This natural tendency is probably one of the worst things a person can do, and it could possibly be on of the main reasons why so many men are prone to severe cases of depression. The stress becomes too much for them to ignore and by this time many will try to self-medicate, or even try to run from their stress through different means. There are many things in life that can create stress for men, especially married men.
Society can be demanding on men, especially if they are married because they not only have to look out for themselves, they are pressured to properly support and care for their family, as well as to protect their family. Much of this is natural for the man to worry about these things and their family because it has generally always been that way. Even though more women are starting to become the bread winners for many families, the men tend to feel it is still their purpose to ensure that their family has everything that they need. Many of the specific reasons for men to become stressed would include their need to excel at work, being unemployed, conflicts in the home, divorces or breakups, poor health, financial worries and/or non-ideal living environment.
As a result of their need to try and ignore their stress or simply fight through it, many will start to suffer physical and mental symptoms created by the intense stress they are experiencing. Some will suffer headaches, others will suffer stomach aches, neck and/or shoulder pains, back pain, have the inability to sleep properly and/or even have a loss of appetite, have a difficult time in concentration on their work, become frustrated, irritable and even depressed. Too much stress takes its toll on a person, especially those who do not get the help that they need.
It can eventually turn into heart problems or some other kind of health problem. Some men will even go so far as to try and self-medicate by taking drugs or drinking excessively, which is not the way to properly deal with stress because it will only make it worse in the end. One of the main reasons why men will refuse to seek help from a therapist is because they don't want to be seen talking to a therapist or counselor. They don't want to appear weak and want to show others that they can handle their problems on their own, without any outside help.
Online therapy is allowing men to find help in a more discreet and confidential way. Online therapy is just like traditional therapy, it's just over the internet. The online therapist or counselor will work with the patient to help them learn how to deal with their stress properly, as well as find healthy ways to alleviate stress.
Jennifer Baxt is the owner of CompleteCounselingSolutions.com which offers a variety of online counseling services. If you would like to know more about Jennifer or any of our online therapists, visit our website.
