8 Instagram Accounts That Are Getting Men to Talk About Their Health

These influential guys are helping others open up about cancer, Crohn's disease, sobriety, and more.

My two favourites are from Dave Wilson Is Helping People Navigate Sober Life and Mental Health.

After 40 years of drinking, Dave Wilson received a text from a friend with a proposition: “How do you fancy giving up alcohol with me for three months, to see where we are in our health, our marriages, and life in general,” it read. “I laughed out loud. Three months — I can’t give up for three bloody days!” recalls Wilson. In the end, he accepted the challenge.

“Moderation was never an option. I had to be all or nothing,” says Wilson. He also recognizes that although he was able to get sober on his own, that may not be the case for everyone. He’s now been sober since January 2019, has lost about 26 pounds, and says he recognizes the power of support. 

“Once I had made my decision to stop, I decided it would be useful to share the highs and lows of my journey, so I created my Instagram account, and I’ve been amazed at the incredible support I received,” he says. Since becoming sober, Wilson has trained to become a peer mentor, completed a mental health first aid course, and started his own online sobriety coaching business.

According to the most recent data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, almost 8 percent of deaths in men worldwide in 2012 were attributed to alcohol use, compared with 4 percent for women. Making a habit of binge drinking — five or more drinks on a single occasion — can lead to heart disease, cancer, dementia, and mental health conditions including anxiety and depression, according to the CDC.

According to Wilson, a lot of stigma still exists around men talking about their health, especially their mental health. “I am aiming to try and change that by making my page feel like a safe space to discuss sensitive matters,” he says.

Follow @soberdave.

Michael James Wong, Founder of Boys of Yoga, Is Helping Guys Take Care of Their Mental, Spiritual, and Physical Health.

Michael James Wong says his parents never pushed stereotypical versions of masculinity on him, a foundation that he credits as the basis for the community he’s created, one centered around helping other men live mindful lives.

“I wasn’t pushed into being an athlete or told to be strong but silent,” Wong recalls. “For me, my mental health and well-being was strong and supported growing up. Now, as an adult, I see these same patterns in my life. Physical fitness is important but so is my mental, social, and spiritual health.”

Wong founded Boys of Yoga to serve as a community for men who practice or teach yoga. Together, they regularly post step-by-step guides to foundational yoga poses, making it easy to explore the practice from home. They also go beyond the poses and teach the breathing, mindfulness, and spiritual aspects of yoga as well.

“Ultimately, it was to break down the stereotypes of what men thought yoga was all about and inspired a new perspective to see that it’s a practice for everyone,” says Wong, who also authored a book that serves as a guide to the basics of both the mental and physical aspects of the practice of yoga.

“Sit Down, Be Quiet is a straightforward book for the modern male who’s ready to step in and start taking control of their own identity and mental well-being. It’s time to smash the stereotypes and appreciate that it’s cool to be kind, self-aware, and nonjudgemental,” is how Wong describes the book on the Boys of Yoga website.

Follow @boysofyoga and @michaeljameswong.

The other great and amazing men and their important discussions about men's health can be found at:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/mens-health/instagram-accounts-that-are-getting-men-to-talk-about-their-health/?

Special personal note:

Male transgender and parenting a child are not topics that a lot of people would be willing to discuss let alone read about. However, I would like to point out that being a transgender male parent, a gay male parent, a lesbian female parent has not been shown to have any negative effect on a child from scientific, social, and psychological studies - All children being parented and love and cared for by any of the above, benefits from the care, love, and support in the same way a child being raised by straight parents.

It's Not Your Opinion That Matters the Most on This Subject - It's the Child Being Cared For, Loved and Supported That Matters Most.