Written by Menswear Style in Health & Fitness on the 23rd October 2018

Looking after your health is incredibly important. After all, most of us want to be able to live the longest and happiest life possible and if you're not taking care of your health then that can be difficult to do. However, one mistake that a lot of men tend to make is that they focus exclusively on their physical health. Now, focusing on your physical health isn't a bad thing, but if you're at the point where you're actually neglecting your mental health, that can be a serious problem. With that in mind, here are some things that you can do in order to make your mental health just as much of a priority as your physical health.

Self-care 

Self-care is a term that you've probably heard floating around a lot over the last several years. And while it's probably pretty self-explanatory, it's something a lot of people don't really know about. The reality is that modern life is tough for everyone and it's especially tough if you're struggling with any kind of mental health issues. Self-care is simply the act of taking the time to focus on your mental wellbeing instead of getting buried under the many responsibilities that a lot of us have. How you actually do that is often pretty personal. For some it can involve exercise, whereas for others it's spending time with friends. No matter what you do, taking the time for self-care is always a good idea.

Be honest 

As men, many of us are taught that being honest about how we're feeling is somehow wrong. This results in many guys bottling up all of their emotions and never saying a word to anyone. But the truth is that you probably have a lot of people in your life who want to help you but simply aren't going to unless you take the time to actually talk to them about what's going on in your life. Talk to your friends and family, let them know how you're doing. Even if they can't necessarily solve your problems, it can often be great just to get things off your chest. 

Talk to a professional 

Of course, sometimes there are things that your friends and family just aren't equipped to deal with. And rather than feeling as though you and your friends all need clinical mental health counselling masters degrees to be able to help one another, it can often be a whole lot better to just speak to a professional. There are plenty of different styles of counsellors and therapist who are available to help you deal with any number of mental health issues. It's the kind of thing that has been unfairly stigmatised in the past but it really can make your life a whole lot better.

The idea of dealing with mental health issues is something that far too many men try and sweep under the rug. We're taught from a young age that its a sign of weakness and that showing weakness is one thing no guy should ever do. However, there's nothing weak about admitting that something is wrong and doing something about it. In fact, that's one of the strongest and most mature things that you can possibly do.

We discuss self-care and talking to a professional in this article about mental health and why Your Health Is About More Than Your Body.