5 men reveal if they've someone they can confide in when they have problems and it's eye-opening

The importance of men's mental health

Mental health has become a mainstream topic of debate for quite some time now, courtesy of social media and healthcare professionals highlighting its importance more and more now. Sadly, among all the discussions, one of the key segments about the mental health of men in our society takes a back seat. This neglect comes out of age-old cultural norms that discourage men from seeking help. So, men tend to feel more conscious and keep everything bottled up. A concerned Reddit user named u/VEnusemerald2 shared a post on the platform, asking: "(Men), who in your life do you open up to 100%? Dad, brother, friend?" The responses she got were thought-provoking and eye-opening. Here, we have selected the experiences of five men who have revealed if they have someone to open up to. 

1. Mother

My mom...literally, I can tell her anything and she would engage in a conversation with me even if it does not interest her. She is the only one I can cry in front of and she does not ask what is going on unless I say myself when I hug her. I can hug her as long as I feel like it she does not even break the hug. I know it's simple but very impactful on me. She is really a kind person not just to me but to all people, she is the one I can tell literally every secret without worrying about someone else knowing about it. u/TinyComedian4381

2. Nobody

No one. I tell my wife about 40%. I learned that I’m here for her to lean on, not the opposite. She had told me once that I need to be there to hold and support (literally and figuratively) when she’s having a tough time even if she’s being a 'complete b***h' because that’s my role as a husband. So, next time she had a REALLY rough patch and she was indeed a complete b***h. I held her, comforted her and tended to her needs. 3 days later, I got slightly depressed... she told me 'Are you going to be like this all day? Because if you are, I don’t want to be around you.' That told me everything I needed to know about my feelings and my position. u/0x29aNull

3. Reddit and their wife

Honestly? Reddit. I tell my wife everything as well, but seeing she is 7 months along with twins. Something (will) stress her out. So I’ll dump them here just to vent them. I listen a lot to people who need help and offer advice. I’m generally my collective group's sounding board most of the time. But like all therapists. I need a sounding board too, and well Reddit seems to be the most reliable for brutal reality. u/OneExhaustedFather

4. Friends

My friends and I have fostered a group dynamic where we can turn to each other and be vulnerable, and really lean on each other. Had a hard breakup in my mid-20s. Called my bro, and told him I needed him, he came over and I cried to him for hours. This idea that we can't be vulnerable with each other is something that you have to break down yourself....My dad wouldn't even tell me he loved me. Took me a year of telling him I loved him (at 19 years old) before he'd comfortably say it back. u/Dharmaninja

5. Being perceived as weak

In my experience, at 38 years old, girls THINK they want you to be emotional and share your deepest darkest problems. But when you do, they see it as weakness and unattractive and end up looking down on you for it. It's best to keep the real problems inside when talking to women, and save that for best friends or just to figure it out on your own. That's the truth of things, unfortunately. There are not many places to turn to for men. Best friends if you're lucky, but there's a limit to that too. u/SaigonNoseBiter