Mental health and Batman

YOUR SUPERHEROES ARE DEPRESSED

October isn't just about pumpkins and costumes; it's also Mental Health Awareness Month. And here we reopen a can of worms that inspires equal parts respect and excitement: mental health and masculinity.

When you think of "depression," you probably picture someone dark, withdrawn, and traumatized. But you almost never think of yourself. Or your friend. Or your coworker… and you certainly never think of Batman. Mistake.

BATMAN IS #FUCKYAWFUL

Batman (AKA Bruce Wayne🤫): Millionaire, CEO, ripped, playboy, philanthropist… who dresses up as a bat every night to beat the crap out of crime. The origin? As a child, he saw his parents murdered.

Textbook TRAUMA.

There is stress post-traumatic. There is obsessive-compulsive disorder. There is antisocial disorder of personality. And there's depression. A lot of it. We're not the ones saying it, but analysis and books (What's wrong with Batman?These studies, written by psychologists, analyze the character as if he were a real patient. The conclusion? Batman doesn't fight evil, he fights himself. He atones for his emotional pain by dishing out beatings left and right.

From the outside, he seems to have it all. But inside… he's empty. Unhappy. Alone. Exactly like many men who never talk about what's going on in their heads.

DON'T SPEAK, DON'T ASK

Batman is the epitome of traditional masculinity. He's a tough guy. He doesn't let anything get to him. A MAN, in capital letters. who never smilesBecause 'men don't cry; they endure.' "The strong" don't feel. That's something for "weak" people; for the kind of people Batman fights, not for Batman himself.

And if things start going through your head then… well, you come to the conclusion that you're not 'as manly or as strong' as you should be; you're 'flawed'. And then, the best thing to do is keep quiet, lest someone notice. Better to keep quiet. Better not to let it show. Better to just grin and bear it.

That's why men We don't talk about mental health (or we do it much less than women) and when we don't talk, it gets all tangled up and then the consequences.

A “REVISED” AND POSITIVE MALE MENTAL HEALTH

As with so many other issues, the traditional concept of masculinity has fallen behind when it comes to mental health. It's time to update it.

Being strong doesn't mean staying silent. But having the guts to ask for help. Being a man doesn't mean repressing yourself. It means being brave enough to navigate your emotions and share them. It's not about hiding behind a bat mask. It's about taking off the mask and being able to show vulnerability.

It's, ultimately, about being less like Batman. Because Batman is... #fatalput.

And when someone is in trouble, they ask for help with their mouth. They don't hand out communion wafers dressed as a bat.

P.D.: This week's post is sponsored by Coffee CrushOur coffee-scented scrub promises 5 minutes of self-care for your face and your ego, right from the comfort of your sink. Smooth skin, free of blemishes and acne marks, while you enjoy the experience.