Men's Mental Health Month; new push to get men help they need

MILWAUKEE - June is Men's Mental Health Month. Experts say men are less likely to get help due to the stigma behind seeking it. 

"I didn’t think I was going to make it. It’s come full circle, and now I have something to live for," said John Miller, Sixteenth Street client.

Miller chose not to go on camera, but he did choose to share his story.

"I filed for divorce and moved out, and then my daughter passed away. That made e relapse. I started drinking again, went down a dark road, ended up going to jail for a little while," Miller said. 

At one point, Miller said he found himself homeless.

"As a man, it’s a weakness to say ‘I need help,'" Miller said. 

As Miller looked for a place to live, he realized he needed a different kind of help.

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"I kept saying ‘it ain't for me, it ain't for me.’ But then yeah, it is for me. I do need the help," Miller said.

Sixteenth Street Health Clinic, Milwaukee

Now three years into his mental health journey, Miller is encouraging other men to get help.

According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, nearly one in ten men experience depression or anxiety, but less than half will receive any treatment. Specialists say for men, it is not always about getting help professionally. 

"Even if it’s talking to a pastor, if it's talking to your best friends, it doesn’t have to be professional. Just find someone you can talk to," said Steven Fowlkes, Sixteenth Street Health Center Care Coordinator.

Steven Fowlkes

For Miller, talking about his struggles is what got him his life back.

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Sixteenth Street Community Health Center has mental health resources for anyone who needs them.