Man chooses 💀 over asking for help?

ASKING FOR HELP

I am not totally sure when it began, but at some point I began to sense the feeling in my mouth shifting whenever I ate or drank, warm was hot and cool stung cold. I tried to reassure myself this was the sensitivity that started from the age of 23, when the internet informed me, in a line, this was what it was and I was better served moving on. But the pain did not move nor did it budge — until an evening, where after a snack—it seared to the bone of my jaw.

The dentist would explain a rogue wisdom tooth had secretly crashed into a molar, nearly splitting it in two. No less than 3 procedures would be needed before I could get off this pain train. But looking back, what shakes me is not the month and a half of hurt but how often I acted like I wasn’t . I was still sending texts like…

It wasn’t until several weeks from then that I allowed myself to admit things sucked.

This was not new. I had been running this program of avoiding focusing on myself, my health, and my hurts for decades, perhaps unnecessarily. Why are we men so bad at asking for help?

Let’s get better at asking for and getting the help we need.

YOU’RE NOT ALONE
Our desire to be Superman is our Kryptonite

Men, we often avoid seeking help for our physical and mental health issues due to societal stigmas associating help-seeking with weakness. This reluctance to seek assistance can lead to worsening medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, which is a leading cause of death among men. Hear that? We would literally rather die than get help. Additionally, this behavior can result in self-destructive coping mechanisms like excessive alcohol consumption, overeating, and smoking. Such habits not only harm us but our loved ones and communities. So, next time you're tempted to shrug off those health concerns, remember, asking for help isn't weakness; it's admitting there are more chapters left to be written in our stories.

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REALLY HELP YOURSELF
A Black Man’s Guide To Getting Therapy

The way I learned it, therapy was for crybabies, for people who didn’t know how to “deal with” life, or for people who didn’t have Jesus. Growing up, we never spoke about it, so it was never a real option. I imagine I am not alone in having a history where therapy was either looked at with suspicion or dismissed as stuff white people did…It wasn’t until a new coworker dismissed me with an unfriendly look that I realized my house of mental health was made of straw. I just couldn’t get past it; taking a super long walk didn’t calm me nor could a night drinking alone sufficiently numb me. Let’s talk about the easiest the ways to start getting therapy

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BORROW ENERGY NOW
Struggling alone is a choice to grow weak

It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s the way you carry it. Carrying life's challenges solo? That's like trying to juggle flaming torches while riding a unicycle on a tightrope—risky and likely to end in a spectacular crash. It’s only smart to ask for an assist before the circus goes awry. Let someone else take a turn holding the juggling torches for a tick. We all need each other. No one is an island. The good news is that people really do care.

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UNSUBSCRIBE FROM SHAME
Time to show tough love some tough love

Men’s de facto health plan to date has been suffering. Who hasn’t wanted to believe they could be the dude in that battle soon taking two arrows to the back and keep going? The problem is: we keep taking those dang arrows 🎯. We can change the narrative, if we’re up for the challenge of thinking differently. Stop downplaying your pain and start being more open and honest.

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BE ANOTHER’S SUPPORT
Remember Asking for Help is A Strength

From YT : Michele L. Sullivan shares stories full of wit and wisdom and reminds us that we're all part of each other's support systems. "The only shoes you can walk in are your own," she says. "With compassion, courage and understanding, we can walk together, side by side.”

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JUST CUZ
Nice Thangs & Diversions 🤣🤣🤣

This security guard just wanted to do this dance justice 👩‍⚖️

When an Interviewee says: “I could speak Spanish” ☕️

Basement Gang: Meets merengue with da funk 🕺