Written by Mangalagiri Saikiran (Sem. II)
Middle-aged men, as a group, face a range of problems that largely go unnoticed. They feel trapped between tradition and modernity. And moving into their 40s and 50s brings with it a whole host of obstacles that undermine physical and mental health.
One major concern is health. A sedentary life along with poor diet and stress is a story that ends with diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Many are deterred from receive care for depression and anxiety due to stigma.
On top of these, stresses about career and monetary pressures can make things worse. Since there is pressure on men to be ‘bread winners’, they will spend long hours at work and not see much of their families.
Added to the mix are social norms and gender expectations. Cultural myths about masculinity conditions men to be stoic, while the reality is that according to many native cultures and actual evolutionary biology research, men are quite emotional. This suppression of emotion can lead a lot of them into a state where they seek comfort from things other than themselves, often creating loneliness in their own hearts.
Cultural myths about masculinity conditions men to be stoic, while the reality is that they are quite emotional.
Finally, middle-aged men can feel empty and purposeless with the changing dynamics of family life as children grow up in front of them.
All these must be recognised and tackled. To some degree, middle-aged men should know how to self-care by maintaining healthy lifestyle, getting support when needed, This way, we can focus on building a more inclusive and supportive community for this unaddressed collective.
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