Mental Health for Men: The Hidden Cost of Logic

When I think about mental health for men, an idea often explored is emotions as distractions. We think emotions are something to suppress in favor of logic. The narrative goes: feelings can cloud judgment, slow progress, and interfere with decision-making. This is the mindset that we used to achieve in the professional world so we assume that it will work in our personal lives. This mindset can cause significant challenges in personal relationships and emotional well-being.

Having and following emotions are not a sign of weakness. Emotions are signals from the mind notifying you that something is occurring. Emotions are telling you to pay attention to an issue. In this blog, we’ll explore why embracing your emotions is essential, how to balance feelings with logic, and why achieving this balance is key for your overall life success and fulfillment. If you’re struggling with this issue, getting support for your mental health can help. 

The Mindset to Achievement

At a young age, many of us learned that emotions take a back seat to logic and focus. We are taught that happiness, anger, and sadness are the only acceptable emotions. Happiness could be used as fuel for motivation. Anger could spark determination. And sadness, well, sadness is only okay if your dog dies.  All other emotions were seen as a distraction or a sign of weakness.

This formula worked. It helped us climb the career ladder and accomplish our goals. It allowed us to get paid. However, it came at a cost. Suppressing emotions can create long-term issues. It could lead to unresolved feelings, strained personal relationships, and even burnout. Over time, when we stuff our emotions into a box, it can lead to emotional numbness, make it difficult to connect with others, or even understand your own needs. 

Emotions Are Information, Not Weakness

Emotions are not the enemy. They are normal and natural. Emotions are messengers providing important information about your mental and physical state. Just because you’re feeling sad, frustrated, or anxious doesn’t make you emotionally weak. It just tells you that something in your environment or within needs your attention. These emotions are telling you that you are alive. They tell you that you are human. You should be worried if you don’t feel any of these emotions.

For example, frustration might point to an unmet expectation. The feeling of anxiety could signal the need for more preparation or support. Instead of viewing emotions as weaknesses and obstacles, consider them as tools that can guide you towards a better understanding. Use them to help you guide your decision-making. Embracing this mindset helps us leverage our emotions as assets rather than liabilities.  

The Danger of Applying Professional Logic to Personal Life

Strategies, such as suppressing emotions, prioritizing logic, and staying laser-focused, can help people find success in their financial and occupational facets of life. When they take these strategies directly into their personal lives, it can often backfire. Relationships thrive on emotional connection and empathy, not just pure logical problem-solving.

When emotions are continually pushed aside in favor of staying logical, it can create a disconnect between the way that you feel, the values you hold, and the actions you take. This disconnect can cause extreme discomfort. This can look like stress, lack of sleep, and lack of eating. It can also lead to misunderstandings, frustration, and feelings of isolation. This can also push you away from loved ones. No one wants to be in a relationship with a robot, or someone who doesn’t have emotions.  Learning to express and share emotions is essential for creating meaningful relationships and improving your overall well-being.

Balancing Logic and Emotion

Logic and emotions are not on opposite sides of the spectrum. It is not one or the other. They are complementary tools for decision-making and navigating life’s complexities. We often think that we must choose one over the other but the real power comes from using them together. When you’re facing a decision, emotions can provide insight into your values, desires, and instincts, while logic ensures that you evaluate the facts and outcomes objectively. 

For example, in making a career decision, emotions might highlight what truly excites you, while logic helps assess the feasibility and risks. By learning to balance these forces, you can make decisions that align with both your goals and personal fulfillment.

Embracing Emotions with Therapy

For many men, unlearning the habit of controlling emotions is challenging, especially when it has been ingrained for years. Improving your mental health with therapy can provide a supportive environment to explore your emotional landscape, understand the root of suppressed feelings, and develop strategies for integrating emotions with logic. 

Therapy can help you identify patterns of avoidance, teach emotional regulation skills, and create space for feelings without letting them overwhelm you. With guidance, you can build healthier relationships, improve self-awareness, and enhance your overall quality of life.

The freedom to feel is not about letting emotions control you. It’s about giving yourself permission to acknowledge and understand them. Many men can benefit immensely from recognizing that emotions and logic are not adversaries but allies in making thoughtful, informed decisions. 

Suppressing emotions might help us in the short term, but embracing them leads to a more balanced, connected, and fulfilling life. If you’re ready to improve your mental health, I offer the tools and support to help you integrate emotions into your personal and professional journey. Remember, success means learning how to use your feelings effectively.

Make a change in your life. Get online therapy in Las Vegas with Chris Rabanera. Get started with a free 15-minute consultation today. Offering online therapy in California, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, and Utah, I specialize in addressing physician burnout, grief counseling, anxiety, depression and providing tailored mental health treatment for men. Let’s get to work to make lasting positive changes.