Damaged
“Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive.”
The stigma of men seeking help or being vulnerable is a part of culture that needs to be thoroughly examined. For too long it has been the expectation that a man will basically struggle in silence. Although there does need to exist a balance of strength and willingness to accept assistance, we cannot ignore that men are struggling. The rate of suicide in 2022 amongst men was 3.5 times higher than that of women. This isn’t to exclude women from consideration of those who need help. This is remind people that men need support, an outlet and a way to process the world and stress just as much as anyone. Instead of focusing on competing struggles we should focus on mental health awareness for all.
The artist who brazenly breaks barriers to bring mental health awareness to the forefront is Paakman. This artist has never turned away from a difficult topic. You can find his previous music featured here on our site discussing violence in New Mexico. This latest project titled Damaged is a call to action that supports men’s mental health and brings attention to those that may have never sought therapy or found a way through the madness. It is important that Paakman has this conversation on record because there are those that need to know that struggle is not permanent, that help can be a question away and that music can help process these emotions and bring people hope in difficult times. Check out the artist’s latest music and if you need some support reach out to your system or reach out to crisis hotlines as well. Life is short and struggle can be inevitable but together we can make it through the tough times. Support those who support you and listen to Paakman’s hope for others through music!