Macon Mayor’s Message to Men: Mental Health Matters

Men in Macon are being urged to take their mental health seriously, in a push to combat the stigma surrounding male mental wellness. Mayor Lester Miller and a panel of community leaders came together Friday, May 19, to voice this call, part of Macon Mental Health Matters’ second Lunch & Learn session. The event, live-streamed from Just Tap’d, was free and open to the public.

Mayor Miller spoke candidly about the ingrained notion that men should shrug off mental health issues as they would physical pain. “There’s a stigma with men that they have to play the role of being ‘the man’ and if they scrape their knee, they need to put some dirt on it. It’s the same with mental health,” said Mayor Miller. “We need to do better about letting men know that it’s okay to ask for help.”

A crowd of community members attended the session to hear perspectives on male mental health. Topics ranged from stress management, work-life balance, relationship challenges, to self-care. The session’s objective, according to Macon Mental Health Matters Coordinator Andrea Cooke, was to empower men to prioritize their mental health and well-being and dispel misconceptions about therapy.

Sheriff David Davis, Macon Violence Prevention Coordinator Jeremy Grissom, and other community leaders joined the discussion. Grissom shared personal insights, reflecting on a past where mental health was hardly acknowledged. “I don’t know about you all, but mental health was never talked about in my household. It was like a myth,” said Grissom. “We’re coming to a space now where we’re trying to figure it out.”

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For those who missed the session, it is available for viewing online. The final Lunch & Learn for the month, set for May 26 at Just Tap’d, will focus on relationships and mental wellness. The event promises more valuable insights from community leaders as Macon continues to tackle the issue of mental health head-on.