Actor Arjan Bajwa, who has been a part of blockbuster movies like Fashion, Crook, Son of Sardar, Bobby Jasoos, Rustom, and Kabir Singh, to name some, and web series like Bestsellers and State of Siege: 26/11, believes men showing their emotions is considered a sign of weakness; however, he stressed the need to give attention to their mental and emotional health.

Sharing his thoughts on the occasion of Men’s Mental Health Month, which is observed in June, he said, “Men’s health, of course, is very underrated because a man is not supposed to show any emotions. He is considered the provider, the worker, and someone who handles all situations.”

“In fact, if a man appears emotional, it is often considered a sign of weakness. But no one really understands that men are human beings too. So, emotional health for men is of utmost importance, as the right frame of mind will bring the right results,” he added.

Despite being in the public eye, the actor confessed that he doesn’t express his feelings easily because he is always busy following his dreams. But he admitted that he goes through emotional turmoils related to the past, present, and future, adding, “There’s just no time or space for a man to show emotions, I feel.”

He also mentioned that the conversation between men doesn’t include talks about their personal struggles because that’s considered just a part of their life. He shared, “Showing emotions is considered weak. Therefore, the only way one can express themselves is by talking about things that are in front of them, just to strike up a conversation. The moment someone gets emotional and talks about their personal struggle, the moment a person appears emotionally weak, the moment a man opens up his heart, it is considered a sign that he is not strong enough to face the world. So, in a way, it becomes just about facing your problems and moving forward.”

Arjan stressed that men are often told to ‘man up’ or ‘be a man, this is life,’ as people forget that a man is not a machine; he’s a human being too. “Even in friend circles, there are rarely any moments when men talk to each other about their emotional struggles because no one wants to appear lacking or weak in life,” he said, adding that a man always tries to put on a brave face for the world.

“Even if you are going through a lot of turmoil in your heart and mind, you are ready to face it because that’s what a man is supposed to be like. If you try to show any kind of emotion in any situation, which is actually very normal for any human being, men are always told, ”he added.

He believes that this problem is because men are conditioned in that way since the very beginning. He said, “If a man cries, he’s told, ‘Men don’t cry,’ because that’s seen as a sign of weakness. That’s the kind of conditioning done right from the time a child is born. So, most of the time, the majority of men just curb their emotions and keep them to themselves, not even opening up to their friends or opening up to their family because you’re not supposed to in that way.”

“I don’t really think that anybody seeking help for this kind of thing from someone else makes much of a difference. Because only a man knows how he can control or carry forward his daily life, his aims, his goals, and the chores of life he needs to do to survive and face all the challenges thrown at him,” he added.

He stressed that right from their childhood, men are put into that box where they’re made to feel guilty for not doing things the right way. “Men don’t get the freedom to be careless. Men don’t get the freedom to be emotional or make mistakes in life. You’re always accountable for every action you take. So, in that respect, men mostly weigh all the pros and cons of every step they take in life. Curbing their feelings and emotions and keeping them inside all the time,” Arjan ended.