Men helping men: New group aims to help guys stay healthy in mind and body
Mental health counseling? Nah, they'll just power through it. See a doctor? Over their all-too-soon-dead bodies.
"Men are socialized to be manly and to be tough, to 'man-up' and take the pain," said
That means men miss opportunities to identify physical and psychological problems early on, when they're most easily treated and have the greatest opportunity for successful outcomes.
That's a trend the 65-year-old
Bingaman -- who recently retired as deputy regional administrator of the federal
He started in the '70s, helping Vietnam War vets recover from Posttraumatic stress disorder, the anguish caused by Agent Orange, and other maladies, mental and physical.
His Men's
It's not group therapy, Bingaman said, it's more like a psycho-educational program. He'll give a little mini-lecture at the beginning of each 90-minute session, then participants can ask questions, share experiences, and learn from one another how to better care for themselves.
"I think the younger guys can learn from the older guys, if nothing else, what not to do, so they don't repeat bad behavior by not taking advantage of preventive measures and screening tests," Bingaman said.
It's not an anonymous program, but it is confidential. "What happens in the men's group stays in the men's group. We'll be respecting each other."
There will be eight sessions, topics of which will include things you might expect: the benefits of diet and exercise, depression and suicide in men, and alcohol and substance abuse.
Other topics might not be so obvious: relationships, happiness -- "one of the key purposes of life," he said -- and death, or at least the top 10 causes of it, because "if you know, you might start cleaning up your act a bit and get the care you need when you need it."
Sign up
The Men's
Insurance that pays for group therapy will cover the costs, and for those who don't have insurance, payment will be based on a sliding scale, up to
Sessions will start as soon as there are enough participants.
Call 626-2230, ext. 8, to sign up or for more information.
OK, so if you don't see him, see someone!
Hey, all you men, men, men, men, manly men, listen up --
--Men in
--Not only are men three times more likely than women not to have had a contact with a health care provider for 5 years, but they also are more than twice as likely as women to have never had contact with a health care provider -- ev-er.
--According to the Men's Health Network, men die at higher rates than women from the top 10 causes of death -- most of which are preventable if caught early -- and men die younger than women. Women, in fact, on average survive 5 years longer than men, the
--A third of men are struggling or have struggled with mental health disorders. Part of the blame can be placed on society in general, which expects boys to be tough and ignore pain.
--Two-thirds say they'll wait until they have "prolonged, severe pain" before visiting a doctor, according to a 2012 survey of 2,000 men. As people get older, though, the rules change. A little pain can get worse, or can signal something more serious.
--Being aware of the risk factors for common diseases such as heart disease, stroke, depression, and prostate and lung cancer, which can kill most men, is a good start.
--It is highly recommended that men see a primary care doctor at least once a year, get screened as scheduled, and follow up as needed to get necessary medical care.
___
(c)2016 the Daily Gazette (Sterling, Ill.)
Visit the Daily Gazette (Sterling, Ill.) at www.saukvalley.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
New LERETA Data Finds Southern, Central States Have Highest Number of Unassessed Properties
Hanover man pleads guilty to several arson fires
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News