In recent years, it has become increasingly common to speak openly about mental health.
Whether sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic or our long-awaited realisation of the topic’s importance, the change has been good.
In fact, such conversations about feelings and emotions are being had by more unlikely participants — men — who have been, for the most part, “socialised to this narrow idea of what it means to be masculine,” according to clinical psychologist Dr Saliha Afridi.
A conditioning, Afridi tells The National, that has taught men “vulnerability is a weakness”.
Afridi's comments come as the world wraps up a month-long heightened awareness campaign of men's health issues for Movember.
“Messages like ‘be a man’, ‘be strong’ or ‘man up’ have conditioned men’s perspective of what is suitable for them to express," says Afridi, who is also the managing director of The LightHouse Arabia in Dubai.
“Generally speaking, mental health conditions are underdiagnosed in men, and that is probably because men are not going out to seek help or they are not self-reporting.
“There's a big stigma around men being able to reach out and say: ‘I need to talk to someone about what I'm going through.'”
Attending to mental health becomes even more urgent when suicide rates come into the picture. According to the World Health Organisation, one person takes their own life every 40 seconds. And in every one of them, there may be more than 20 other attempts.
Suicide rates among men were four times higher in 2020 than the rate among females, according to data from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the US. This is in part because men are less likely to seek social or psychological support.
“Men report significantly lower life satisfaction and significantly lower access to social support — friends, relatives, communities” Afridi says. “There's just no space for them to feel that kind of support.”
Afridi says she has seen a marked difference before and after the peak of the pandemic in 2020, when more people — both men and women — talked about how they were feeling during the Covid-induced social isolation.
“I’ve been here now for 14 years, and from running a practice, I’ve definitely seen that it’s becoming a lot more acceptable for men to go see a psychologist,” she says.
“It's being normalised a little bit more, but we still have a very long way to go.”
It takes a village
Afridi also echoes what many experts have long said about mental health — that it’s a responsibility of communities, whether in the office or at home.
“We need to create a psychologically safe environment where it is OK for people to talk about their mental health," she says.
This speaks more to leaders who should “model for people a sense of safety and to show that it’s a human trait for us to struggle.”
However, she says it might not be enough for people to just realise they are unwell. “I still think there is a massive stigma about people going to see a psychologist. Removing this stigma becomes the obligation of everyone, whether you are a parent, a company or a government leader.”
Parenting, she adds, also makes a huge difference in people’s approach to mental health.
“How do we parent our children? How am I raising my boys? Am I telling them that it is OK to feel? Am I telling them that it is OK to cry? Am I making it OK for them to live in harmony with all parts of themselves? That becomes an obligation as a parent.”
Self-help tips in taking care of your mental health as a man
1. Develop an emotional vocabulary
“Men should familiarise themselves with the language of feelings — it's a whole language, and it's a language they aren't familiar with,” Afridi says.
She recommends men actively try and develop their emotional intelligence, and be conscious about their feelings when faced with triggers.
“There's a big difference between saying 'I feel angry', versus 'I feel betrayed'. There's a big difference between 'I'm aggrieved', versus 'I am sad'. How do you describe what you're going through?
“To have a granular emotional vocabulary is very much linked to you being in command of your internal emotional world.”
2. Increase your window of tolerance for difficult emotions
“Most men use the defence of intellectualising, denying or projecting a lot of what is difficult [for] them,” she says.
Afridi says this can cause a man to “systematically desensitise” himself.
“When learning ways of coping, softening and tolerating, you're developing a muscle that you need in order to go through difficult experiences that bring up difficult emotions.
“For example, when you see a movie and tears come up, allow yourself to express a little bit — maybe have the tears roll down instead of holding them back. Or if you see something that opens your heart, really savour that feeling.”
3. Consider somatic-experiencing activities
“Men have dissociated from their physical bodies for a long time because the body houses a lot of our emotions,” Afridi says. “I think it's important to create safety within the physical body for men.”
Related activities include breathwork, stretching, trauma-informed yoga, as well as tremor release therapies, “the types of things where you're literally working life back into the body”.
Men should “reconnect with the parts of themselves that they have lost through socialisation, which is mostly the body”.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%3A
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Envision%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarthik%20Mahadevan%20and%20Karthik%20Kannan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20The%20Netherlands%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Technology%2FAssistive%20Technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204impact%2C%20ABN%20Amro%2C%20Impact%20Ventures%20and%20group%20of%20angels%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Non-oil%20trade
%3Cp%3ENon-oil%20trade%20between%20the%20UAE%20and%20Japan%20grew%20by%2034%20per%20cent%20over%20the%20past%20two%20years%2C%20according%20to%20data%20from%20the%20Federal%20Competitiveness%20and%20Statistics%20Centre.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIn%2010%20years%2C%20it%20has%20reached%20a%20total%20of%20Dh524.4%20billion.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ECars%20topped%20the%20list%20of%20the%20top%20five%20commodities%20re-exported%20to%20Japan%20in%202022%2C%20with%20a%20value%20of%20Dh1.3%20billion.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EJewellery%20and%20ornaments%20amounted%20to%20Dh150%20million%20while%20precious%20metal%20scraps%20amounted%20to%20Dh105%20million.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERaw%20aluminium%20was%20ranked%20first%20among%20the%20top%20five%20commodities%20exported%20to%20Japan.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETop%20of%20the%20list%20of%20commodities%20imported%20from%20Japan%20in%202022%20was%20cars%2C%20with%20a%20value%20of%20Dh20.08%20billion.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Most%20ODI%20hundreds
%3Cp%3E49%20-%20Sachin%20Tendulkar%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E47%20-%20Virat%20Kohli%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E31%20-%20Rohit%20Sharma%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E30%20-%20Ricky%20Ponting%2C%20Australia%2FICC%0D%3Cbr%3E28%20-%20Sanath%20Jayasuriya%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E27%20-%20Hashim%20Amla%2C%20South%20Africa%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20AB%20de%20Villiers%2C%20South%20Africa%2FAfrica%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20Chris%20Gayle%2C%20West%20Indies%2FICC%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20Kumar%20Sangakkara%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%2FICC%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E22%20-%20Sourav%20Ganguly%2C%20India%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E22%20-%20Tillakaratne%20Dilshan%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
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HAJJAN
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA