I know I wrote about keeping the dream going. Well it's been a little over 4 months since my last entry. I wish I had a good explanation, but I hope this makes up for it.
June is Men's Mental Health Awareness Month. On May 31, 2025 John Brenkus lost his battle with depression. John Brenkus was an American producer, director, and a television personality, but it wasn't enough. He was a father, but that wasn't enough. I know they call depression a silent killer, but I don't think it's that silent anymore. Well, it was never silent for me. It's something that I've dealt with, and may I say still deal with at times. I've been in therapy and on medication going on three years now.
I've heard it said that men suffer in silence. Men get told to "man up" when there's even a slight sign of weakness. Professional wrestler, L.A. Knight, said in a promo, "If something arises in your life that hits you your feels and you have to cry. Let it out. It's good for your mental health, it's good for you, it doesn't make you any less of a man." Now you got your naysayers that tell you to "man up," do some pushups, and all that. This is why some men suffer in SILENCE because they feel nobody cares. The community that's supposed to be supporting them, are burying them. Then when it's too late, "Why didn't they say anything?"
As Charlamagne tha God would say, "I did my research, and by research I mean Google." Google says, that "Men may not be diagnosed with mental health conditions as readily as women due to various factors, including societal expectations and a reluctance to seek help. Men are more likely to die by suicide than women, and mental health conditions play a significant role in these statistics."
I remember watching a wrestling show and one of the performers took a mental health break, and a performer by the name of CM Punk got on the microphone and said, "And I’ll say one last word about it — if anybody here or anybody at home watching television if you’re in a place where you think you need help, get it. Ask for it, reach out, text somebody, call somebody. There's nothing harder that you can do in the world, but there's nothing more courageous as well."
Me personally I was suffering for a long time. I was writing blogs regarding my mental capacity. Fortunately for me somebody was listening to my cry for help, and I ended up starting therapy and medication. Shout out to the two therapists I've had. I'm on Zoloft and Abilify. I'm still a work in progress. As the saying goes, "I'm not where I want to be, but thank God I'm not where I used to be."
So I say continue to cry out for help. Somebody is listening. Old hymn says, "Have a little talk with Jesus. Tell Him all about your troubles. He'll hear your faintest cry, and He'll answer by and by. When you feel the little prayer wheel turning, just know that the fire is burning. Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right."
Another song says, "I cried and I cried. Cried all night long. I cried and I cried until I found the Lord."
Jay Glazer, a Fox NFL analyst and a Mental Health advocate, tweeted this in response to the death of John Brenkus, "The darkness convinces you you’re better off dead, it seems so convincing, it’s NEVER EVER EVER true!!!!"
I know people would love for me to be more open to having conversations, but I've stated before I'm not good at getting my words together out loud. I'm much better at typing them out like this.
That's all I have for this one. I hope you got something out of it. Continue to pray for men who are suffering silently and loudly. To the men reading this that may be suffering, it's ok to seek professional help. It's ok to reach out to tell somebody what is going on. Don't suffer alone. Find your community. I ask that you share this with all you can share it with. Hopefully it won't be another 3 or 4 months until the next entry.
Stay Saved,
Daniel Richerson
DanRich618@yahoo.com
