'Men need to start talking about things more:' Edmontonian sharing story of struggle to help others
A local author is sharing his experience with alcoholism with the hope of helping other men improve their mental wellness.
Dennis Kreba, behind the newly published Dennis On The Run: A men’s survival guide to lasting change, says he began drinking more when he began working from home during the height of COVID-19 restrictions.
One night, during a fight, a friend told him he had become too negative and that he needed distance.
"It wasn't my shining moment. It was my lowest-of-the-low moment. And the next morning, I had a pit in my stomach that said, 'We're not OK. This is different. Something's up,'" he told CTV News Edmonton on Sunday at his book's launch party.
Realizing alcohol had "taken over" his life, Kreba decided to take a break from drinking – which has not ended almost four years later.
Alongside sobriety, he has found other healthy coping mechanisms: running, meditation and journaling.
He describes his book as a "roadmap" for other men who are also struggling.
"I think men think that men are the rocks of the family and that they need to be the rock and they need to be infallible and a lot of guys are living with the status quo because they're scared of change," he said.
"This is why so many men get hurt and why men are committing suicide at rates that are uncomfortable and why Movember exists as a cause."
Kreba has paired his book with a journal and an online community, called the Beyond Survival Initiative, for the purpose of having "honest conversations" among men.
"Generally speaking, men need to start talking about things more, they need to have book clubs, they need to invest in each other, they need to belong in online communities and stop just talking frivolously," Kreba said.
According to the Movember organization, a man dies by suicide every minute across the globe.
In Canada, three quarters of suicides are by men.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Brandon Lynch
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's 'most wanted terrorist' arrested on gun charges in Canada
One of India's most wanted terrorists has been arrested and charged in connection with a recent alleged shooting in Ontario.
12-year-old boy charged in stabbing of 11-year-old boy at Edmonton McDonald's
The boy stabbed at a north Edmonton McDonald's last Friday is 11 years old.
What makes walking so great for your health and what else you need to do
Medical experts agree that walking is an easy way to improve physical and mental health, bolster fitness and prevent disease. While it’s not the only sort of exercise people should do, it’s a great first step toward a healthy life.
U.S. Congress hosts second round of UFO hearings
The U.S. government held another UFO hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, the second such hearing in 16 months. This hearing was billed as an attempt by congress to provide a better understanding of what is known about previous sightings of UFOs, also known as UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena).
Toronto teenager charged with first-degree murder in Kitchener, Ont. homicide
A Toronto teen has been charged as part of an investigation into Kitchener, Ont.’s first homicide of 2024.
Spy service officer denies threatening Montreal man who was later imprisoned in Sudan
A Canadian Security Intelligence Service official has denied threatening a Montreal man who was later imprisoned and allegedly tortured by authorities in Sudan.
Donald Trump picks Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will nominate Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as his attorney general, putting a loyalist in the role of the nation's top prosecutor.
This Canadian airline will adopt Apple's new AirTag feature to help recover lost baggage. Here's how
Apple announced that a new feature, 'Share Item Location,' will help users locate and recover misplaced items by sharing an AirTag location with third parties including airlines.
Canada bracing for 'tough' talks as Trump's pick calls northern border an 'extreme vulnerability'
The Canadian government is aware it's likely in for 'tough conversations' with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's administration, after his border czar said there is 'an extreme national security vulnerability' he intends to tackle at the Canada-U.S. border.