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"It's okay for macho men to show every emotion available...because I've cried a thousand times and I'm going to cry some more!"
That was "Macho Man" Randy Savage's answer when asked if he had ever cried during a 1992 interview on The Arsenio Hall Show. Savage was a professional wrestler best known for his gravelly voice, colorful attire, and appearances in Slim Jim commercials.
June is Men's Health Month, just in time for a renewed conversation around the age-old question: Is it okay for men to cry or otherwise express how they're feeling?
In a recent interview with TIME Magazine, UFC President Dana White said men should not speak publicly about their mental health struggles, handle them behind closed doors and avoid showing "that weakness" to anybody.
Here's the reality: silence and stigma are killing men of all ages. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women. Last year, more than 80% of the people who died by suicide in Johnson County were men.
Talking about your mental health and asking for support is not showing weakness, it is taking action. When men speak up and seek support, they are better equipped to be present for their families, friends, co-workers and communities. That is the real show of strength.
So, for Men's Health Month, here are several ways you can be like "Macho Man" Randy Savage, expressing emotions openly and honestly:
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