It’s September the month of Father’s Day, where we pay homage to the men who are known to be the pillar of strength for their households. So, we are led to believe.
We hear so many stories of men who are an inspiration to us all. What we hear less of though is the other side of “man”, the vulnerable man.
This vulnerable “man” is more common than we think. It is too often that “man” does not believe he should be vulnerable; this could not though be further from the truth. For every grand speech there is a stutter, for one who is seen to walk tall and proud is prone to hunch. For as much as we say we don’t care about the opinions of others, we are more conscious than ever of being judged.
According to the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare, 37% of men die prematurely, with suicide being its leading cause outnumbering females by 3:1. This exposes the vulnerable “man’s” state of mental health.
In our younger years we are taught that such vulnerability should be disguised. “Man” though is a constant liar. He will lie about being strong, he will lie when he says nothing is wrong, he will even lie to himself. It is when we realise that vulnerability exists in every “man”, we can see beyond its weakness, as we always feel better when we believe we are not alone in our suffering.
We can’t hide the fact that we live in a competitive world, there is though more to life than just “surviving”. It is through our acceptance that we will be hurt, vulnerable & anxious is what can aid us to find our purpose in life through rejuvenation, not retaliation. As it is only when we are vulnerable, we can truly realize our own strength; even for “man”.
John Zavaglia MBA, ACA, is the therapist & founder of Mind Life offering services in Mental Health counselling focusing on anxiety, depression, grief & addiction.
As an experienced Toastmaster & President of the North Sydney branch, John also provides services to treat public speaking & social phobias. Mind Life Is an accredited mental health services provider under the guidance of the Australian Counselling Association. (ACA)
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