June is Men's Health Month. WMAR-2 News Mark Roper spoke one on one with Quinton Askew, President and CEO of 211 Maryland about mental health among men.
He says, helping a loved one struggling with mental health, starts with a basic conversation, "Conversations… just really conversations of asking basic questions of how are you? How are things going? How is the family? Really starting with those loved ones that we care about, just asking those basic questions to give the other individual a chance to really to talk. I think a lot of times the basic questions are the ones we like to answer."
"For us really, dealing with social norms. Us feeling that we have to be perceived in a certain way. We are the men of the household. We have to be strong for the family but sometimes that doesn’t really connect with, or adapt, to our mental health. Sometimes that translates to weakness for us. I think a big role in that is de-stigmatizing it and helping us understand as men, it’s OK to talk."
What you may not know is 211 Maryland is fully staffed to support you, "One of the great things we are able to do, in Maryland and with our great network and call centers, is for anyone who is seeking help can contact us for mental health support, especially from our 211 crisis line. It’s an approach from a holistic perspective. We have a great group of call center individuals that are able to focus on some of the other support you need, whether it’s food, financial support or employment.”
Watch more of Mark's interview below. And if you need help dial 211, OR text MDMindHealth to 898-211.
