Helping men open up about struggles with health issues

By Michael Roizen, M.d., and Mehmet Oz, M.d. King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Q: I’m worried about my husband — he’s getting more and more grumpy and unhappy the longer this coronavirus mess goes on. What can I do to help? — Ginger

R., Cleveland

A: That’s a major issue for many guys and one that the Cleveland Clinic, right in your backyard, has been looking at. Their National MENtion campaign (started originally because the docs noticed how hard it is for guys to talk about their physical and mental challenges) has turned its attention recently to how COVID19 has affected men’s outlook on health and how they’re coping with all the changes in daily life.

An online survey of around 1,000 adult males found 77% say the pandemic has increased their stress level and 45% say their emotional/mental health has declined. In addition, half of the men have put off seeing a doctor over the past few months, while at the same time 40% say they’re struggling to stay healthy and 24% report weight gain.

The MENtion campaign suggests you can help your husband open up about how he is feeling — and get the medical attention he may need — with the following techniques.

■ Make it easier for your husband to see and talk with his doctor about health issues. Schedule virtual visits; ask the doctor for appointments outside of work hours; and find local health-screening opportunities such as the Clinics “express care online.” Check with your local medical centers to see what’s available.

■ Suggest talk therapy online. If it helped super-athlete Michael Phelps, it may be worth a try.

■ Encourage opening up by asking questions — one at a time — about how he’s feeling and what he’s thinking. As the Clinic’s Dr. Eric Klein, chairman of Cleveland Clinic’s Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, says, “It’s time to get rid of the stigma that a man isn’t allowed to show weakness by admitting something might be wrong — it could save his life.”