GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - There are a lot of men out there struggling with things like anxiety and depression, with many not sure how to get help.
“Nearly 50% of the population struggles with anxiety and depression, but that's an estimate because we don't necessarily have all those people diagnosed,” says Tasha Gastony, Medical Director at Park Nicollet.
Gastony spends a lot of her time treating patients struggling with anxiety and depression. She says men especially tend to resist seeking help because of the stigma around mental health conditions.
Gastony says anxiety and depression can cause a lack of focus at work and effect relationships.
“Men can get more irritable,” Gastony says. “They can suffer from fatigue and they don't sleep.”
She says treatment for everyone is unique and can include things like medication, talking with a therapist and an option HealthPartners has right on your computer called “Beating the Blues.”
“You can actually go onto a computer, watch some vignettes, and have some homework to do that helps you change the way you think about things because how you think is how you feel,” Gastony says.
Bottom line, if you're struggling, there's no shame in asking for help.
“Walking around feeling anxious and depressed on the day-to-day basis is not something that anyone has to live with,” Gastony says.
Gastony says, if you think you may be struggling, making an appointment to talk with your primary care physician is a good place to start.