On this week’s Forged by Fire episode, we’re talking about all things mental health. After the loss of a friend, who was struggling with physical illness and mental illness we want to dedicate this episode to him and to talking more openly about mental health. For a long time, most men avoid counselors and therapy like the plague. They’re going to get help because there’s been an ultimatum, a court order or something very drastic. It’s been viewed as a reactive way of coping, not a proactive step. There are a lot of people that want to avoid being labeled as dealing with a mental health issue. The world we live in encourages men to work harder, work faster, be stronger and the weight of the world really weighs down on them. This amount of pressure can be so unhealthy and really push people to their breaking point. All the little things really add up and cause pain and stress. Why do we as men struggle with facing the truth and being honest with ourselves? It’s so important to really face the facts so things don’t get too big to handle. The longer we ignore our issues they fester and cause a lot more pain. “Live your life like you have nothing to hide, nothing to prove, and nothing to fear”. Is a great quote by Micheal Thompson that we need to remember as you evaluate yourself. 17% of our youth struggle with mental health. So if you don’t necessarily struggle with a mental health issue then it’s still important to understand and learn more about it to understand those around you or your family members. One thing you need to look for with your own mental health is that “check engine light”. These are times when you wake up in the morning and just feel like you can’t get out of bed, get a sick feeling pulling into the parking lot at work, or even grab that extra six-pack because you want to feel a little less tonight. These are small things that indicate you’re not in your best mental shape and you need to do something about it. And a lot of people run with that check engine light on for years. They don’t even realize how good they could have it if they were in tip-top shape. We’ve seen men just fade back. When you go through a major life issue, and things just aren’t right backing away from the people that care about you isn’t the right direction. If you have a friend or family member that is struggling and they don’t want to be helped you have to check on them and you have to pray for them. Encouragement can go a long way and helping them find good council when they’re ready to seek help. When you find a therapist that works well with you, it’s really amazing. You can tell them absolutely anything and you don’t have to worry about losing face at all. And they have the tools to get you to the next step and get that check engine light turned off. If you need help, seek help. Message us. Take this opportunity as a sign to get help if you’ve considered it or if you think your check engine light may be on.

This episode is dedicated to Cody Sublett a husband, father, and an amazing friend.