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The simple fact is this: male-and female-specific healthcare isn’t a luxury. It’s an essential part of the overall wellbeing and health of both sexes. While men’s health and male-specific healthcare has received more exposure in recent years, it’s still essential to cover in detail.

Ultimately, the more you know, the better your chances of making the right decisions for your health.

Emotional wellbeing

Emotional and mental wellbeing is defined by how you think, feel, and behave. It’s about how things that happen in life, your circumstances and various other external factors affect you and how you respond to it. A life event that can affect your emotional wellbeing can be as simple as getting a flat tyre on your way to work, more specifically the thoughts and feelings you experience during and after it has happened. Major life events, such as losing your job or losing a family member can turn your world upside down.

This is why it’s necessary for men to build a mental and emotional fortitude to navigate through life’s challenges, while still being able to express what they feel.

Stress

In broad terms, stress is feelings of anxiety, frustration, and tension due to change or pressure. While it can be described as an overall feeling, the individual symptoms of stress include:

• Inability to concentrate
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Memory loss
• A change in diet or appetite, particularly eating more unhealthy foods due to stress
• Increased irritability

Depression

Depression and depressive disorder are common mental illnesses characterised by persistent downcast attitudes and loss of enjoyment in activities. They impact various aspects of life, including social interactions, work, and classroom issues. Depression is more common for those affected by abuse or significant losses. Depression symptoms vary from person to person, and symptoms for men and women can be diverse. Men are more prone to experience extreme fatigue and irritability, lose interest in their jobs, families, and/or interests, and have trouble falling asleep.

Your journey to wellness is in your hands. The steps to mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing starts with the first, most basic steps. While these aren’t a cure-all, they are the foundation on which you build your life, and may include:

Eating right. A balanced diet is a great place to start. Consider what your day looks like and eat foods that will fuel your body in a healthy way.

Practise healthy self-talk. Admit when you are struggling, be open to seeking help, and speak to yourself like you would a good friend who needs help. Be your own best friend.

Get enough sleep. This cannot be stated enough. Limiting your screentime and sleeping earlier can make a huge difference.

Exercise is a great way to release ‘feel good’ hormones.

Preventative screenings. As a Bestmed member, you have access to preventative screening benefits, including prostate screening and HIV screening.

Sources:

V.Mathumbu & Tempo Talk Bestmed Medical Scheme. 2023.Men’s Health Matters Available [Online]: Available on YouTube

Health Line.2021.Health guide for men in their 20s and 30s Available [Online]: Preventive Care for Men at Every Age (healthline.com)

R.Rich, Jr., MD, FAAFP.FamilyDoctor.2023.Men’s guide to Preventative Health Care Available [Online]: Men’s Guide to Preventive Health Care - familydoctor.org

World Health Organisation.2023. Depressive Disorder (Depression) Available [Online]: WHO Depressive Disorder (Depression) 

Farah Fazel, PsyS & Psycom. 2022.Depression in Men. Available [Online]: Depression in Men