WHILE it is definitely important to take care of one's physical health, mental and emotional health cannot be neglected as it contributes to overall wellbeing.
A 2021 report by Frontiers in Psychiatry revealed that suicide rates have increased significantly for males in Malaysia between 2014 and 2019.
The figures show that there was an average of 5.8 per 100,000 population – which is estimated to be 1,841 suicide deaths annually, with five deaths per day.
A majority of men are breadwinners for their families and may find it difficult to open up about their struggles relating to physical and mental health.
This could lead to illnesses or diseases being left untreated and the worsening of their health.
Sunway Medical Centre Velocity (SMCV) consultant psychiatrist Dr Celine Chan Tze Lin says men who are unable to speak openly about their emotions may find it challenging to recognise symptoms of mental health problems themselves. Thus, they are less likely to reach out for support and may need the help of others close to them to see the signs.
"Signs that a friend or family member may have a mental illness include feelings of anxiety, worry, irritability, sleep problems, no longer showing interest in their hobbies or not enjoying anything anymore," says Dr Chan.
When these feelings get very intense, last for a long period of time, and begin to interfere with work, and relationships, it may be a sign of a mental health problem.
Dr Chan adds that having a strong support system for men, and any other patients has many positive benefits, including better coping skills and reduced depression, anxiety and stress.
"Without a good support system, men may also be more likely to use unhealthy coping methods and less likely to talk to family or friends about their mental health."
One way to convince more men to seek help is to make them understand that it is all right to seek help and talk to someone whom they trust and who cares about them.
SILENT KILLER
Aside from discussing mental health issues, men should also be aware of physical health and conduct self-checks and seek early treatment for diseases such as cancer.
SMCV consultant urologist Datuk Dr Selvalingam Sothilingam says silent killers refer to cancers that exist but cause minimal symptoms such as prostate and testicular cancer and these can be cured if detected early.
"Prostate cancer can be confused with Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) which is a benign prostate condition affecting most ageing men and is far more common than cancer," he says.
Testicular cancer, on the other hand may begin as a small lump in the testis and is easily detected but can be missed unless a man performs regular testis self-examination.
Dr Selvalingam explains that both cancers can exist without any symptoms, but there are certain things that men should take into perspective, such as family history of prostate or breast cancer and age (men above 50 years old), especially those with lower urinary tract symptoms.
Screening for prostate cancer can be done through the Prostate
Specific Antigen (PSA) tumour marker test.
For testicular cancer, risk factors include men with small volume testis with infertility, men with a history of undescended testis or certain genetic disorders.
Self-examination of the testis is a good way to detect any hardness or lumps.
Early testicular cancer is curable, and treatment is less costly than in cases of advanced testicular cancer.
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