Dear Healthy Men: You recently wrote about a CDC report that supposedly showed that males are more likely than females to commit suicide. Well, my 19-year-old niece recently killed herself and I just saw the new CDC report on youth suicides, which said that the suicide rate among females is growing faster than among males....Continue reading
The New Year is a time for making resolutions and focusing on self-improvement. While many of these New Year’s resolutions typically have to do with quitting smoking or weight loss, numerous well-intentioned goal-seekers just wind up feeling depressed. Broken resolutions combined with lousy weather and the end of the festive holiday season can leave many...Continue reading
When I was growing up, men and women had different roles. The old rules required men to be the protectors and breadwinners. Women’s role was to be the homemakers and nurturers. Men’s world was outside the home in the workplace and women’s world was inside the home with the family. The old rules assumed marriage...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: I’m a single dad with a 9-year-old daughter who’s with me half the time. Before the divorce, she was a sweet kid and a pleasure to be around. But lately she’s become a terror, throwing tantrums when she doesn’t get what she wants—and I think it’s because her mother is spoiling her....Continue reading
Let me go on record and declare myself. I believe the MeToo Movement is good for women and men. I believe that men are good, but many are confused and angry. I believe that we must end the polarization of the left and right or humanity is in danger of destroying itself. I have five...Continue reading
A few days ago, I heard a young father telling his son—who was probably around 10 or 11—to “man up.” I started thinking about that phrase and wondered about all the gender stereotyping we do without even realizing it. Are expressions like “man up” harmless parts of or language or do they make a difference?...Continue reading
On November 21, 2019, I celebrated the birth of my son, Jemal. He turned 50 years old. At the moment he was born and I held him for the first time, I made a promise that I would be a better father than my father was able to be for me. I also vowed to...
Loneliness kills. According to former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, isolation and weak social connections “are associated with a reduction in lifespan similar to that caused by smoking fifteen cigarettes a day and even greater than that associated with obesity.” Even when it’s not fatal, loneliness makes life a lot less pleasant. We’ll talk about...Continue reading
Dear Healthy Men: Do women really find men with beards more attractive than clean-shaven guys? A: According to the old story, in 1860, Abraham Lincoln grew a beard in response to a suggestion from an 11-year-old girl who said it would make him a more attractive presidential candidate. She was right. About 140 years later, another...Continue reading
Men and boys continue to have a higher death rate in nine of the 10 leading causes of death. Why? To start with, the overall healthcare system is inherently unfriendly to males. And, in some health care situations men tell us they do not feel welcome at all. There are other systemic concerns, including insufficient...Continue reading