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6/06/2005
Hip Hip Hurr-A-Rod
I don't follow baseball. As a one-time Blue Jays fan, it's been at least a decade since I had any reason to pay attention. But while vegging at my sister's place last night, I saw something on ESPN that actually piqued my interest. Seems slugger Alex Rodriguez (the only Yankee earning his obscene salary this season) has been speaking out about his own emotional struggles and the benefits of psychotherapy.
That kind of candor can't help but chip away at the stigma attached to mental illness, and the suspicion with which we often view people with the juevos to admit they need help. When celebs and pro athletes like A-Rod frankly discuss mental health issues, they make it a little easier for the rest of us to seek counseling when we're depressed, or confused about the direction of our lives.
A-Rod's openness is especially important when we consider that men are far less likely than women to seek help when they need it. This article from the University of Texas website points out that stereotypically macho guys too often reject the idea of treatment:
A-Rod speaks directly to this very audience. I only hope that more high-profile men follow his lead. Bob Dole's frankness about his, um, worn out equipment made it socially acceptable for men to seek treatment for erectile dysfunction. Maybe A-Rod can do for therapy what Dole did for Viagra.
That kind of candor can't help but chip away at the stigma attached to mental illness, and the suspicion with which we often view people with the juevos to admit they need help. When celebs and pro athletes like A-Rod frankly discuss mental health issues, they make it a little easier for the rest of us to seek counseling when we're depressed, or confused about the direction of our lives.
A-Rod's openness is especially important when we consider that men are far less likely than women to seek help when they need it. This article from the University of Texas website points out that stereotypically macho guys too often reject the idea of treatment:
[T]he more passionately a man embraces traditional male gender roles and the more "alpha" he is, the more likely he is to resist accepting professional help. Research has shown that these men tend to be extremely hesitant to engage in constructive help-seeking behaviors when they begin to suffer emotional distress and may not even realize that they are depressed or are having difficulty coping.
A-Rod speaks directly to this very audience. I only hope that more high-profile men follow his lead. Bob Dole's frankness about his, um, worn out equipment made it socially acceptable for men to seek treatment for erectile dysfunction. Maybe A-Rod can do for therapy what Dole did for Viagra.
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by Chris @ 11:05 AM
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