Brazil psychologist: Men are getting mental health wrong

A clinical psychologist says many men ignore their physical and mental health until a crisis forces them to pay attention. Stephen B. Poulter, PhD, a Los Angeles-based psychologist, describes several cases from his practice where male clients experienced heart attacks during therapy sessions.

Poulter writes about three male clients, ages 28, 36, and 44. All were in seemingly good health. During sessions about emotionally charged topics such as ex-wives or romantic losses, they suddenly felt chest pressure, tingling in their arms, and shortness of breath. They wondered if they were having a heart attack or a panic attack. All three dismissed the idea of a panic attack, even though they had experienced them before. They sought emergency medical care immediately. Poulter says each man later told him that getting medical attention saved his life. He also notes that each man reported feeling similar physical and emotional symptoms days before the heart attack but ignored them.

Poulter acknowledges he also postponed preventive medical care. He says he made excuses such as not having time, a high insurance deductible, and building his practice. He suffered a stroke after a running injury tore a vertebral artery. He was paralyzed on the right side of his body within seconds. He regained about 95 percent of his movement in the first 48 hours and spent eight days in intensive care. Doctors told him he was lucky not to be permanently paralyzed or dead. He says the experience forced him to confront issues of avoidance, health, work-life balance, and unresolved personal matters.

The psychologist says men often rely on a crisis to address their health. He compares this to the old debate about smoking and nonsmoking sections in restaurants. Just as smoke cannot be contained to one area, he argues, emotional and mental health cannot be separated from physical health. He writes that Chinese medicine is based on the idea that everything in a person’s life is interconnected. When there is disharmony, it can create disease over time.

Poulter says men cannot function only in their heads. Avoiding feelings leads to problems such as poor health, isolation, divorce, and unhappy lives. He mentions wealthy and powerful clients who were emotionally and psychologically bankrupt. He says working long hours, drinking only coffee or energy drinks, eating fast food, skipping sleep, and arguing with competition does not produce a good emotional outcome. He says the body craves homeostasis, a natural state of health and balance.

He also mentions NBA All Star John Wald, who sought help for physical injuries that affected his mental health. Poulter says Wald is an example of a man who is rich and famous but not invincible. He says most men think they are the only ones who struggle, but they are more similar than different.

The psychologist poses three questions for men to consider. First, have you noticed a physical sensation in your body while talking about emotionally charged issues? Second, what is your body currently saying to you? Third, how are you creating physical and emotional balance in your life? He says these questions can help men reconnect with lost or forgotten parts of their lives.