Welcome to the world of mankeeping.

While you may have never heard of the term "mankeeping", chances are you have unknowingly partaken in it.

Coined by researcher Angelica Ferrara, mankeeping describes the caretaking role women often play for the men in their lives — looking after their emotional needs, bolstering their confidence, and supporting their well-being.

"Mankeeping may be a new term, but it's definitely not a new phenomenon," shared psychologist Sahra O'Doherty, the President of the Australian Association of Psychologists.

"Being the only emotional support of a male partner has long been an issue for both men and women, and has formed a part of the mental load since before that phrase was coined," she continued.

Watch: Maggie Dent on the mental load. Post continues after video.

"The derogatory term 'man child' has previously been used to describe a man incapable of meeting his needs for emotional regulation and support, or not maintaining friendships where those needs can be met outside of his romantic partnership."

You know when you go out for a coffee and a yap with your girlfriends? Ranting about this and that, sharing stories and advice? Well, if you take a look around the café, you'll notice that the fellow tables are seldom shared by two male friends catching up on life in the same way.

When do men catch up to talk about life? They might go for golf or a beer, but do they share their feelings with each other? Historically, no.

"This seems to be a patriarchal legacy where men traditionally have been taught to mask and appear strong and resilient, and emotional expression or asking for help has not been valued as part of traditional or conservative notions of masculinity," said Sahra.

"This has been reinforced by media portrayals of heteronormative couples where the male partner is the protagonist and the female partner is the supporter, like in every 90's-00's sitcom ever.

"Deeper, more vulnerable connections tend not to be something men are socialised to do, unless often under the influence of alcohol."

While playing the role of an emotional safety blanket can be rewarding, it can also be taxing — especially if you are the only one the man in your life feels comfortable confiding in.

"Any kind of people-pleasing behaviours can weigh on us after a time and can make us feel frustrated, angry, and resentful," shared the psychologist.

"We may also be subjugating our own needs in order to be there for others, and this can mean that our physical, mental, or emotional needs may not be met. This adds to our feelings of stress and burn-out, and can damage our relationships as well as our mental health."

And the longer mankeeping goes on, the harder it is to "break the patterns in relationship dynamics".

"This means change and healing can be harder, and can set us up to continue those behaviours in other relationships in future."

So, as women, what do we do? Do we shove a pint in their hand and tell them to go chat to their buddy about their problems? Doesn't seem like a healthy approach.

"Be clear in your relationships about who is responsible for what," shared Sahra.

"Who is responsible for my emotional well-being? Me, not someone else. Notice our urge to take responsibility for another's emotional well-being. Think about what we can do instead. Perhaps ask questions like 'What are you planning?' or 'What would you like to do about this?' These questions firmly place the responsibility onto that person, and show that you are not offering to do something about it.

"Communicate your limits to people and practice saying 'no'. Look after your own emotional and mental well-being. Take time for yourself, recharge in meaningful ways, and maintain your own support network. Encourage your partner to do the same."

But, again, the onus shouldn't be on women. So what can men do to take the pressure off the women in their lives?

Well, for starters, Sahra said, they can take responsibility for their mental health.

"We also need to build and maintain (emphasis on maintain!) a social support network of friends and family members so that there are people we can call upon when we need them," said Sahra.

"If we haven't maintained relationships in the 'good' or 'okay' times, they may not be there in the 'less-than-good' times. If anyone needs extra support, men included, reaching out to a local psychologist can help."

It's also important to note that emotional support is not inherently "mankeeping".

"Relationships are often like swings and roundabouts," explained the psychologist. "One person may have more going on for them at a particularly time while their partner supports them, and then it can change.

"When it starts to feel unreciprocated, or you're putting aside your emotional needs to attend to someone else's for a lengthy period of time, or you're feeling like you need to walk on eggshells around that person, then you might be engaging in people-pleasing behaviour or "mankeeping".

According to the psychologist, communication is key.

"Talk about needs, ask about your partner's limits and capacity, respect your partner when they are unable to meet your needs, and take action to try to meet your needs yourself."

Feature Image: Friends/NBC.