In this episode, we explore Male Mental Health from an Eritrean male's perspective with our very special guest Adonay Berhe

We got to know Adonay through the @eriwellbeing IG community. After having several conversations with Adonay we realized that it would be so beneficial for Adonay to share his story on the podcast since it's so rare that we get to hear in detail about Eritrean men's experience with mental health.

This is an open conversation where Adonay shares his story with mental health since his teenage years all the way to present day, where he is currently finishing up his university studies in Journalism and Technology.  In this episode, we get an insight into Adonay's experience with navigating two cultures and the stigma around mental health that is common in many immigrant communities.

We also touch upon the topics of medication, counselling and therapy which we're very grateful for as we are yet to share these perspectives from a male speaking on these topics. He shares his thoughts on how women can be better allies towards men and create more space and safety for men to be able to open up about their general wellbeing.

Adonay is involved in Mental health advocacy work at his university where he organized an event called 'Chill and Chat", to create safe spaces for students to talk about their issues. We talk about mental health advocacy work as part of the healing process. 

We are so grateful to Adonay for coming onto the podcast to share his experiences and giving us insight and understanding about what it's like for a eritrean/black male to navigate their mental health.

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In this podcast we explore:

Black male mental health

Black masculinity/toxic masculinity

Navigating two cultures as a child of immigrants

The impact of religion on how parents may view mental health

How going to counselling and therapy can be really helpful

Taking your health in your own hands (not waiting for permission from parents/family/culture)

Breaking down stigma around medication

Building community, raising mental health awarenes and advocacy work as part of the healing process

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Get in touch with Adonay

Instagram: @adonayounas

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The Eriwellbeing podcast is a mental health and wellbeing podcast, healing black and brown communities through open and honest conversations about our mental health.

Hosted by Ruthie Zerai and Mikal Woldu.

Produced by  Ruthie Zerai, Mikal Woldu and @purecreationmedia

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Disclaimer:

While we hope you love listening to and learning from the podcast, please note this is not a substitute for seeking professional help from licensed mental health professionals. Ruthie and Miki are not Mental health professionals, we are holding this space as community builders. We encourage you to seek professional help in your local area for any mental health concerns that you may be experiencing.