Clifton Haskin
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TULSA, Okla. (KJRH) — A Tulsa therapist said Men’s Mental Health Month should always be a top priority.
James Walls is a therapist with Alliance Mental Health, which has offices across Oklahoma, but Walls said that several years ago, he was a police officer struggling with mental health issues.
“I didn’t want to go to family events, I didn’t want to be with friends, I didn’t want to socialize, so I really just felt like something was wrong,” Walls said.
According to Mental Health America, men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women. Walls said it was only after she made her first counseling appointment that she came to terms with what she was going through.
“Through that, I realized I really struggled with depression. I really struggled with anxiety,” Walls said.
June is Men’s Mental Health Month, when men are reminded to look out for signs of difficulty and to put aside the stigma of calling a mental health professional.
“When we lose our concept of self, when we lose our concept of who we are, I think it’s really frightening for men and it makes them close down,” Walls said.
Walls said having a month of remembrance is crucial.
“I think it’s important to celebrate men and celebrate fatherhood and I think this is a good reminder,” Walls said.
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