CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas —
June is Men's Mental Health Awareness Month. To dive deeper into the topic, 3NEWS sat down with one local counselor who wants to help men break through the stigma of seeking beneficial counseling.
Before Tim Tate became a licensed professional counselor, he struggled with his own mental health when he was battling depressive episodes for months at a time.
Today his mission is to make sure that everyone, especially men, work to look past their fear of judgement to get the help they need to live a happier life.
“When you feel bad for so long and then you feel better, you just want to help as many people feel better as you do," Tate said.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, one in 10 men experience some form of depression or anxiety, but less than half seek treatment.
Tate says that mostly has to do with the fact that many men don't believe it's socially acceptable to talk about their feelings or seek help.
"Men think we're supposed to be gladiators about the way we feel. We're just supposed to toughen up and be strong and not show people the way that we feel, " he said.
There are instances where Tate says men have called and said they had his number for weeks or even months before reaching out to him for help.
He says they're often hesitant to reach out because they simply don't know what to expect during a counseling session.
"I just want to let people know that counseling is a place where you can go to talk to somebody about what's happening, and you don't have to worry about people judging you or giving you a hard time about the way that you're feeling," he said.
While many men may believe asking for help is a sign of weakness, Tate says it's actually quite the opposite.
"It's a sign of strength. It takes some bravery to make that phone call, to send that email, but you know, that's the first step. The first step is usually the hardest, and it gets easier after that.”