Paddy Pimblett Speaks On Men’s Mental Health
The Nystrom & Associates provider consulted for this article is Dr. Karin Ryan, PsyD, LP, Clinic Director, Outpatient Therapist.
UFC fighter and champion Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett spoke out about men’s mental health after winning his latest match against Jordan Leavitt on July 23.
In his speech, he urged men to talk to someone if they’re struggling in order to prevent suicide. A friend who had taken his life sparked his passion for speaking out after the match.
"There's a stigma in this world that men can't talk. Listen, if you're a man and you've got a weight on your shoulders, and you think the only way you can solve it is by killing yourself, please speak to someone. Speak to anyone," Paddy said. “I know I’d rather my mate cry on my shoulder than go to his funeral next week.”
Dr. Karin Ryan, Clinic Director and Outpatient Therapist at Nystrom & Associates wants you to know that therapy can be a tool for you to receive support. “A therapist can be that someone," says Dr. Karin Ryan. "You don't need to know what to say or where even to start, we will help you with that. The hardest part is coming in, but I promise it gets easier and will feel helpful.”
Related: How to Start Therapy: A Step-By-Step Guide
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Watch Dr. Karin Ryan as she discusses how Paddy Pimblett has opened the door for mental health conversations and how you can support a loved one who may be struggling with depression. Related: How to Help a Loved One With DepressionMen’s Mental Health
We are making good progress in normalizing mental health care, and there are still gender differences in what men are taught and modeled about mental health. This is why Paddy Pimblett bringing up men's mental health makes a huge difference. Recognizing the signs of depression and suicidal thoughts is imperative. Especially considering the statistics on men’s mental health. “There are studies that have been done. When we look for the signs in men, we realize that 30% of men have depression at some point in their life and are four times more likely to take their own life.”Sometimes the way depression presents, especially for men, we may not recognize it for what it is. We tend to look for sadness, tearfulness, low energy, and lack of motivation. But it can also look like irritability, annoyance, anger, feeling unhappy and stuck or trapped, not sleeping well, and feeling like things are never going to get better.Related: Anger Management & Mental Health While recognizing the signs and symptoms in yourself or a loved one matters, you don't have to have severe symptoms to seek help. "You do not need to be severely depressed/anxious to talk to someone. You will be accepted, heard, and supported however you come in therapy," says Dr. Karin Ryan. The more we normalize and start talking about mental health, the more people can get the help and support they need. The biggest impact can be starting a conversation, as Paddy Pimblett did.
Spark a Conversation like Paddy Pimblett
Getting a conversation started may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. As suggested by Dr. Karin Ryan, after initial greetings and when you’re into some time with a friend or loved one, begin asking how they are really doing. If you want to be more of a support to your friends, to be a shoulder, it just takes a few sincere questions. Here are some example conversations/phrases that are great ways to start a conversation about mental health:- So seriously, how are you?
- How has the year been? I know this year has been hard for me.
- Acknowledge a loss they’ve had. Losing a loved one, changing jobs, etc.
- How have things been for you and your family? I know it can be really challenging to have young kids, work full time, and try to balance it all. Those first two years were kind of a nightmare for me.
- How have you been doing since your mom died? I know losing a parent is something you never get over and is so hard.
