Open Up About Men's Mental Health

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There is a big focus on safeguarding everybody’s health, and this should include mental health. Mental health can sometimes not be taken as seriously as physical health because you cannot see it. Men’s mental health can also be disregarded more than women’s mental health. This is because men are seen as the members of society that need to be strong and relied on. That doesn’t mean that they will not need support at some point in their lives. As mental health is a difficult topic to discuss, especially for men, here are a few ways that you can help:

Help to get rid of the stigma

There is a stigma around mental health, but men find it significantly more challenging to talk about their struggles with mental health than women do. Many men feel like they have to try and live up to the stereotype of being strong, and for many this includes emotional strength. It can be hard to change the perception that struggling with your mental health somehow makes you weak.

We can try to change the perception by beginning to open up and talk about mental health. It shouldn’t be something that you feel ashamed of, because most people struggle with it at some point in life. We need to educate people to show that physical health is just as important as mental health, and if you need it, it is okay to ask for help. In fact, it could be one of the strongest things you do because it can be hard to ask for help.

Helping yourself

Looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health. There are many ways that you can make sure you are doing everything you can to look after your mental health. These include:

• Opening up to people - You don’t have to open up to everyone you meet but if you have a trusted friend or family member that you can talk to about the things that are on your mind it will help.
• Exercise - Exercise is just as good for your mental health as it is for your physical health. You don’t need to go to the gym every day, but you could go for a walk around a park to get some fresh air and get active.
• Find a hobby that helps you to unwind - Stress can build up if all you do is work, so you need to find a hobby that you can do to destress and have a bit of fun. It could be rock climbing, or something more creative. Whatever you do make time for you.

Help the men in your life

If you notice someone is struggling, you could try to find them the help that they need. There might be a support group in their local area that they can attend, or you could take them to see a doctor. If things start to get more serious, you can look into a mens rehab program that can help them with recovery.

How to Recognize Signs of Depression in Adults

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Depression is largely recognized as a debilitating mental illness which manifests and takes a drastic hold of people’s lives, often in different ways. It presents itself with a number of challenging symptoms for suffers and families that can become increasingly difficult to live with. However, it is comforting to know that depression is never a sign of weakness and can be resolved with the correct treatment. The negative social stigma that surrounds depression can make identifying symptoms in loved ones difficult - often, people may appear happy and energetic but can feel the complete opposite inside. It’s important to be aware of how to recognise the signs of depression in loved ones so that you can start taking action to help them on their journey towards recovery.

Personality Changes

Depression largely takes form in emotional changes to a person. Having bad days and feeling blue can happen to everyone in life from time to time, but when a person expresses consistent feelings of helplessness and despair, guilt, anxiousness, or even irritability and anger, these can be some of the indicative symptoms of depression. Additionally, a person suffering with depression may find difficulty in concentrating, making decisions and remembering certain things. It may be a confusing and daunting time for a person to be courageous and open up to you about their concerns, so approach the subject of depression lightly and suggest if they would consider talking to a professional if necessary. 

Physical Symptoms

Depression is not just an illness in your head, it can also present physical symptoms, including headaches, vision problems, fatigue and aching muscles. While there are a number of other conditions responsible for such symptoms, it is vital to check up on loved ones if they are verbally displaying these alongside other evident symptoms of depression.

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse through alcohol is common among those battling depression, as sufferers may feel completely hopeless and subsequently wish to find temporary relief to escape their emotions. You can help loved ones overcome the restraints of depression on their lives through discussing professional help options, and through suggesting an alcohol addiction treatment centre if you are concerned about alcoholism affecting their recovery process.

Change in eating habits

Another symptom to look out for can include a change in eating habits, which can include both overeating and undereating. People with depression may find comfort in overeating to help uplift their mood, while others may inadvertently under eat due to a loss of appetite, or because they  feel too exhausted to prepare healthy and balanced meals. This cycle of poor eating habits only serves to worsen the condition and can result in feelings of isolation and hopelessness, so it is crucial to recognise this symptom quickly.

Lack of interest in activities

Both physiological and physical symptoms of depression such as low self-esteem and a lack of energy can affect people’s ability to carry out everyday activities, as well as finding enjoyment and interest in once-loved hobbies, which can in turn affect social and work lives. This withdrawal from everyday activities can also be another crucial symptom of depression that should be talked about and not overlooked.

Modern Day Solutions For Hearing Difficulties

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We live in a day and age whereby the world is technology based and very much gadget orientated. For those who have hearing difficulties, it is crucial that they have a product which aids them and is in keeping with the constant updates and demands of modern life. After all, because of the way in which the world is developing, there are now more speaking and listening channels available than ever before – for example, there are video conference calls, the ability to talk to people over the internet via applications such as Skype, and so on and so forth. 

Finding a product which allows you to keep in touch with modern technology is essential, and Phonak Smartlink provides exactly that. Of course, this is just one of many hearing devices, and seeing and audiologist to learn more about your hearing problems is always the way to go.

The Phonak Smartlink is a hearing aid device which is versatile and thus can adapt to the modern life. The product is gadget friendly and boasts an array of useful features. Essentially, what this product offers is a greater scope of hearing possibilities. It allows individuals to best adapt to an array of different environments. This means that it can be useful to those sitting in a huge lecture hall which contains large echoes, yet it can also be of aid to those who are communicating via a mobile phone. 

One of the main features regarding this product which makes it stand out from offers of its kind is the fact that it uses Bluetooth. This gives it that ‘hands-free’ factor and means that it can be utilised with an array of different gadgets because it has the wireless technology that so many of the mainstream technology products boast today. This means that the system is compatible with a wide range of gadgets, including mobile phones and MP3 players. This means that those suffering from hearing problems do not have to miss out on the fun other people are having. Thus, they can listen to their favourite songs whilst taking a walk and talk to their friends over the phone. It is little things like this which can truly make a wealth of difference.

In addition to this, another stand out feature of the Phonak Smartlink is that it boasts Dynamic FM. This is the latest global standard for all FM systems and thus is very important. So, what does this feature do? In a nut shell, it improves the signal to noise ratio in especially challenging situations. All in all, this comes together to provide a hearing system which is much more effective.

Finally, there is an array of other useful features which come together in order to make this product one of the leading options on the health market today. This includes the likes of; the 360 degrees Omni, a hearing instrument remote control and the SoftLanding technology which reduces harsh and sharp noises. 

All in all, if you are looking for a hearing system which is effective and helps you to keep up to date with the demanding technologies of everyday life then the Phonak Smartlink is exactly that.

Are You Suffering From Hearing Loss?

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Nobody imagines that they will lose their hearing at a young age. Hearing loss is often thought of as something that affects older people, and that when you are young, it is not a problem that you need to worry about. But that is not true. Hearing loss can affect you at any age, and watching out for the signs may help you to improve your hearing when it starts to grow fainter. 

What Are The Signs Of Hearing Loss?

There are many signs and symptoms that you can look out for in order to identify hearing loss. Many of the signs are quite subtle, and you may not realize that you are experiencing hearing loss, or you may even be in denial about the fact. The changes in your hearing will be very gradual, and you may find that you lose the full range of your hearing over several years meaning that you start missing out on sounds. 

The thing about hearing loss is that if you don’t realize that there should be a sound there, how do you know you are missing anything? There are a few ways to spot whether you are experiencing hearing loss. 

If you find that you have to ask people to repeat themselves because words have sounded quiet or muffled, this is one possible indicator. Another may be that when you are in a crowded public place like a restaurant, you will have trouble focusing on the voice of the person that you are with. All of the other sounds in the room such as people chatting, the noises from the kitchen, or the sound of cutlery on plates may all combine and drown out the sound of the person who you are closest too. Other areas that may show that you are experiencing hearing loss are if you are having problems hearing people when talking on the telephone or you need to have the TV turned up very loud in order to even hear it. 

There are many hidden risks to losing your hearing such as feeling isolated because you are not involved in the conversation. Learn more about the ways that hearing loss can affect you here. 

What Should You Do If You Experience Hearing Loss?

Make an appointment with a hearing specialist or an audiologist. There are tests that they can use to identify if you are experiencing hearing loss, and to what extent. They can use a combination of tests and questions to work out what might be the cause of your hearing loss and from there, they can find a solution to help you regain your hearing. 

How is Hearing Loss Treated?

Hearing loss can be treated in several ways, but the method that suits you will depend on what the cause is. You may just need to have ear wax cleared from your ears, or you may have an infection that needs treatment. In some cases, where the hearing loss is permanent, you can get a hearing aid to bring back your ability to hear. 

Eight Tips To Protect Your Children's Hearing

Children can have very delicate ears, but they are often exposed to loud noises that could cause permanent damage to their hearing. Noise-related hearing loss is irreversible, so it’s essential to take steps to protect them from loud noises and preserve their hearing. Prolonged exposure to sounds over 80 decibels, which is about as loud as someone shouting, is enough to cause hearing loss. 

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Looking after your own hearing is important, but children can be even more sensitive to noise. Learn more about how to protect their hearing with these tips. 

1. Buy a set of ear defenders. These are usually a set of headphones that are comfortable for your child to wear. The ear defenders should be worn at any loud event, such as sports matches, concerts or firework displays. They’ll still be able to hear and enjoy what’s going on, but they won’t be getting the full decibel level. 
2. Watch the volume on their music devices. If your child likes to listen to music on headphones, double check the volume that they’re listening at. They should be able to still hear external sounds even while listening on headphones. If they can’t, it’s too loud. 
3. Turn music off in the car. Listening to music in the car for extended periods can cause hearing damage. Listening to music together while driving is fine, but on long journeys, turn it off occasionally and talk or play car games instead. Car games can be a great way to pass the time on long car trips, and have the bonus of not damaging the ears. 
4. Turn the TV down. If you have to raise your voice to be heard over the sound of the television, then it is too loud. Turn the volume down so you can be heard clearly and to reduce the risk of hearing loss.
5. Buy earplugs. Earplugs can be very useful for protecting children’s hearing. They can be worn when listening to music to protect their ears but are also useful for kids who are budding musicians themselves. If they play a loud instrument like drums or guitar, then you can give them earplugs to wear while they practice to avoid hearing loss. 
6. Take headphones breaks. If they use headphones a lot, whether to listen to music or to play video games, then set regular headphones breaks. Headphones can cause hearing loss as they release the sound much closer to the delicate ear drum. Ten minutes with the headphones off can be enough to rest their ears. 
7. Avoid noisy environments. The easiest way to protect your child from hearing loss is to avoid keeping them somewhere that is very loud, especially if you don’t have protection like earplugs or ear defenders with you. 
8. Test your child’s hearing. Children should have regular hearing tests as they grow up, but if you notice any signs of hearing loss between these tests, ask your audiologist for advice. 

Hearing is very important, so help your children to protect theirs with these easy tips.