Let’s talk about
Avoidance
How to use this guide
This guide contains several questions on the topic of avoidance that you can choose from when hosting a #globalguytalk. They have been divided into different categories. Decide which questions you will answer and in which order. Choose questions based on what is most suitable for the target group and the local context.
INTRODUCTION
‘#globalguytalk made me realise how much I’ve been avoiding my problems by running away from them. Recently, I’ve been working out a lot. I guess I thought keeping busy would help me feel less sad. It didn’t work, and when I got back from the gym, the original thing that I was sad about was still there. So, I worked out even more, it became like an addiction. Now, I have more tools to deal with my emotions.’
‘I’m a bit worried about my friend. His sister recently passed away, and I can tell he’s grieving. But he won’t talk about it, and I don’t know how to ask him how he’s doing. During #globalguytalk I got a lot of ideas from other men that have been in a similar situation.’
‘I recently got divorced, and since then, I’ve been working way too much. I started working overtime, evenings, weekends – I took every chance I got to work, work, work. My mum says I should relax and take care of myself, but honestly, I don’t know if I know how to. It’s funny that I had to attend a #globalguytalk to realise that this might be a problem.’
These stories show you how you can open up and speak from the heart when joining the #globalguytalk. The topics in this guide are: avoiding problems, escapism, what this does to your emotional well-being, and tools to change this for the better.
Warm-up statements – answer yes or no
- I blame myself when I run from problems.
- I find it difficult to get help with my problems.
- I can avoid difficult situations in a healthy way.