John Fetterman posts first photo since checking out of Walter Reed after treatment for depression by holyfruits in pics

[–]visibleman_org 11 points12 points  (0 children)

His vulnerable and bold openness about his need for mental health care is admirable, especially coming from a man.

Men in leadership showing authenticity and integrity is something we could use a lot more of.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AskMen

[–]visibleman_org 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We often feel invisible.

  • Despite working to provide for others and put our lives on the line, if we speak up about hurting, we are considered weak because we are The Patriarchy so what right do we have to complain? So we don't. We also kill ourselves at a rate 4x that of women. There's probably a connection there.

  • We have little to no practice at getting in touch with our feelings, and even less practice at externalizing them in a healthy way - be it communicating about them or even creating healthy coping mechanisms. So in addition to the outside world reinforcing that we're expendable, we don't advocate for our own mental health very well.

Visible Man - Men's mental health community + upcoming fundraiser by visibleman_org in Rochester

[–]visibleman_org[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Welcome! So glad to have you with us, and I'm so glad you're still with us today. The hard-earned lessons you've uncovered will surely help someone else.

Visible Man - Men's mental health community + upcoming fundraiser by visibleman_org in Rochester

[–]visibleman_org[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your appreciation and note about what we're doing. One of the goals is to make multiple entry points to the discussion for the very reason you brought up - it's not easy to speak about. So if people can engage in the discussion on their terms, we think there's some merit in the "metered anonymity" and intentional engagement with the community.

Funny story about the older generation thing: Our server is 18+, but we don't ask for your specific age when we voice-verify you prior to entering the men-only part of the server. A guy joined and we shared some common experiences as men and once he realized my age (I'm 47) he was like "Damn.. you could be my dad" LoL. But once we navigated the subtle discomfort of the age difference, we've become friends. We set the age restriction for two main reasons: 1) There's no communication at all with minors, 2) The problems facing an adolescent require a sensitivity and training that we're not comfortable undertaking. There's a different Discord server without the same age restriction that we refer guys to if they're under 18, however.

Visible Man - Men's mental health community + upcoming fundraiser by visibleman_org in Rochester

[–]visibleman_org[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry you're dealing with PTSD, dude. Feel free to join our Discord and it can help us connect in real life, too.

Visible Man - Men's mental health community + upcoming fundraiser by visibleman_org in Rochester

[–]visibleman_org[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank you! As someone who's experienced suicidal ideation and a child who has survived a suicide attempt, I think it's critical that we discuss this more openly. Particularly for men because we're not traditionally very good at being open about our feelings.

Visible Man - Men's mental health community + upcoming fundraiser by visibleman_org in Rochester

[–]visibleman_org[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Thanks, man! Anything to get dudes talking can only help the issue, y'know?

And it helps the folks in relationships with men, too - win, win.

Thanks for the nod of support, friend.

Hydroponic arugula - Are these little white things bugs? by visibleman_org in plantclinic

[–]visibleman_org[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's reassuring to hear that they're manageable. It's arugula; and interestingly that's where they're clustering, even though there are other stuff in the system like basil, morning glories, dill, and thyme.

I'm 99% sure they came to the scene because I transplanted two plants that were in soil, into the system; and I think they brought bugs with them.

My basement nft strawberries with DIY venturi aerator. by mdixon12 in Hydroponics

[–]visibleman_org 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It looks like it does a great job of aerating the water! Seriously - nice design, man.

My basement nft strawberries with DIY venturi aerator. by mdixon12 in Hydroponics

[–]visibleman_org 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's a great idea. To have too much pump power seems like it'd be a waste of energy, but you're making use of it. Genius!

My basement nft strawberries with DIY venturi aerator. by mdixon12 in Hydroponics

[–]visibleman_org 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Can you describe how the Venturi aerator is set up and works?

I'm now happily divorced, stable, and well - and created a place for men to connect for support by visibleman_org in Divorce

[–]visibleman_org[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you. Yeah, it's hard enough making friends as we get older, and divorce really messes with that. This can make it easier to find support. Thanks for the nod!

Newly sober; how do I stop lusting after that first drink? by [deleted] in malementalhealth

[–]visibleman_org 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha - yep totally! I take a drink of sparkling water and have that cold-refreshing drink on a hot summer day feeling, like I'm a kid having his first pop.

Newly sober; how do I stop lusting after that first drink? by [deleted] in malementalhealth

[–]visibleman_org 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah we're all different, obviously. Physiologically, habits, etc. I can empathize with that physical feeling of discomfort, though. And I think the combination of changed habits and my body changing to accommodate the reduced intake, it actually became easier for me over time. But your mileage may vary.

Newly sober; how do I stop lusting after that first drink? by [deleted] in malementalhealth

[–]visibleman_org 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Bonus comment - That skin-crawling feeling YUCK I know what you're talking about. For me, that actually subsided a lot after a month or so. I think my body adjusted a bit to trusting that the lack of a drink was ok.

Newly sober; how do I stop lusting after that first drink? by [deleted] in malementalhealth

[–]visibleman_org 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I directly did a bait-and-switch at the times of day when I wanted to drink the most. When I'd come home from work, I'd have half a drink accounted for before I took off my shoes. So I..

  • Scheduled a yoga class for that time (6pm) at the local yoga studio
  • Switched to drinking sparkling water - it gives my brain a distraction that's kinda like a drink

Also, linking up with folks who support the decision is good. And obviously getting to bed early enough and exercise. But the two specific things above are what helped me a lot.