The month of June has ended and so did Men’s Mental Health Month with it. But now is the time to actually put emphasis on Men’s Mental Health.
We are discussing and being open about men’s mental health more than ever, learning to hold conversations, understanding their problems, and giving them space to express themselves while unlearning our habits to overlook men’s mental health problems. While we have made a lot more progress than before, there is still a long way to go. The month of June was set up to raise awareness regarding Men’s Mental health, and it’s on us now to make sure these conversations extend past June. Let's promote understanding, hold important conversations, support men in seeking help when needed, and destigmatize the stigma around Men’s mental health altogether.
WHY DO WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH?
All of us have heard the term ‘man up’ or ‘don't behave like a girl, Be a Man’ coined for a man when they are being sensitive during a situation or not taking enough "Manly actions." Men are mostly brought up with the burden of being the caretaker of the family and have been taught that a man stays strong even in tough situations as the others will look up to him; a display of vulnerability is a sign of weakness for a man.
For a long time, societal expectations, conventional gender roles, and cultural standards have promoted the illusion that being a man equals being tough and unemotional, and that leads to several men suffering from depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues in their adulthood or even in adolescence.
If you look up the statistics of adults suffering from mental health disorders, men might seem on the lower end than women, but major studies have shown that men's mental health sufferings are often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. This happens due to men’s reluctance to talk, giving in to societal norms or misconceptions of mental disorders, which leads to them downplaying their own symptoms
For years, men’s issues go untreated, which often pushes them to live with untreated depression or mental illness. This suppression of emotions or inattention to the highly alarming symptoms leads to men dealing with suicidal thoughts or suicide. Recent studies have shown that the suicide rate is higher in males than in females.
To encourage the men in our lives to speak up about their issues and encourage them to seek help, we have to first recognize the unique set of challenges they face, which are different from the problems faced by women; push away the traditional concepts that perceive men displaying emotions as weak or unmanly; advocate psychological help; and also break barriers and create a safe space so men no longer feel pressure to suppress their emotions or hideaway.
UNDERSTANDING MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH
People have comparable views about what behavior is appropriate for men and women, and they are always involved in constructing an impression of gender difference throughout social interactions. Hence, gender does have an influence on a person’s mental health care-seeking practices, and thus women and men differ when it comes to seeking help.
As stated earlier, understanding men’s issues is the first step. Along with the societal factor and stigma, there are other factors that influence mental health. Gender differences actually play a role in impacting our mental health; sex influences mental illness more than we think. Statistically speaking, mental disorders in men are less common than in women, but there are certain disorders where the rate of men suffering from them is higher, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there can be a combination of factors impacting men’s mental health. Genes can also play a role because Men with a family history of depression are more likely than those without to acquire it. Environmental stress might also lead to depression. Financial issues, the loss of a loved one, employment issues, a challenging relationship, a big life transition, or a stressful event are all examples. Depression can also arise in males with major medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. Low testosterone is also a major cause of depression in males.
Male adolescents are more likely than girls to struggle with anger, participate in risky behaviors, and attempt suicide. Teenage females are more likely to have inward-directed symptoms, while adolescent boys are more likely to exhibit outward-directed symptoms. In adulthood, women have a much greater incidence of depression and anxiety, whereas men have a higher prevalence of drug use disorders and antisocial behaviors.
Men are more prone to abuse substances, and men are more likely to abuse illicit drugs and alcohol. 11.5% of boys and men over 12 have a substance use disorder, compared to 6.4% of women and girls, and engage in dangerous behaviours or suffer impatience and aggression. Furthermore, they are less inclined to seek professional treatment or discuss their problems with friends and family.
HOW DO WE HELP?
DESTIGMATIZING/BREAKING THE BARRIERS- From childhood, we have come face-to-face with stigmas, traditional concepts, and stereotypes, which we have adapted as well, as we all have a fear of not being a respectable member of our societies or communities. The very first thing that we can do is learn that the standards of men set by society are one of the core reasons for men's suffering, unlearn all the biases and stigma we have practiced so far, and encourage men to seek out help. It's high time to break all the barriers that make the men around us suffer and push them towards a healthy mental state.
INCLUSIVITY- With the topic of breaking barriers, it is also important to give men a chance to voice out their issues when it comes to discussing mental health. Men can benefit from education efforts that teach them how to recognize the signs and symptoms of common mental health illnesses and encourage them to seek professional care when necessary. It is of the utmost importance to encourage accessible and inclusive mental health treatments that cater to men's special needs, ensuring they feel safe and supported in seeking treatment. Highlighting the experiences of men who have overcome mental health difficulties may also serve as inspiration for others to seek help and be more vocal about their issues. Men may be empowered to take responsibility for their emotional well-being by providing instruction on stress management techniques and healthy coping mechanisms and advocating regular mental health check-ups.
PROMOTING SELF-CARE- Self-care is important for all, regardless of gender. When it comes to men, we often forget that they, as humans, need time to themselves as well. Let’s all collectively emphasize the importance of self-care in our daily lives, as it has exceptionally good results for everyone’s well-being. Activities such as exercise, reading, sports, knitting, yoga, maintaining social relations, going out from time to time, etc. should be encouraged.
THERAPY- We have discussed how most men’s mental health issues go untreated because of the stigma around mental illness and men’s tendency to not seek help or suppress their emotions. We should be putting an end to the stigma around mental health and advocating going for psychological support from professionals and getting the right professional treatment we need. You may often wonder how to help someone you see in distress. The very first step you can take is to encourage them to seek help from professionals. The sooner therapy begins, the more successful it will be. Lengthy avoidance of mental health issues can have devastating results, as has happened with the majority of men. It's high time we put an end to it, encourage all to seek therapy, and advocate its benefits.
(Instagram- @the_enhypen_clinic)
STATISTICS AND ANALYSIS
In 2020, according to the research men died by suicide 3.88 times more than women. The World Health Organization(WHO) has stated that males commit suicide at double the rate of women. Despite having a greater suicide risk, males are less inclined to seek help and more likely to suppress their feelings
According to mental health statistics, more than a third of men (35%) believe they have experienced a diagnosable mental health illness at some time in their lives and recent data results have shown that 49% of males are depressed more than they admit to the people around them.
A poll of over 1,000 men commissioned by the Today Show found that many believe: males are considerably less likely to talk about issues with mental illness even if they are having suicidal thoughts
As per the data of Mental Health America (MHA), women get diagnosed with depression at a higher rate than males. However, the organisation notes that more than 6 million American males have depressive symptoms each year, with the majority going misdiagnosed.
Nearly 1 out of every eight males suffer from depression or anxiety, yet you’ll rarely see a man seek help because of the stigma related to stress, anxiety, depression and other mental illness among men.
Almost 6 out of 10 men suffer from undiagnosed PTSD and are more prone to alcoholism than women and are more likely to die because of alcohol abuse.
According to the statement of WHO men's suicide rates are higher in High-income countries, for example, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), men make up roughly 80% of all suicide deaths in the United States. Males commit suicide four times more frequently than females.
CITATIONS
Written by Bidipta Mukherjee
This piece of documentation has single handedly cured my mental illness and made me a devout follower of the authors lexicon . Looking forward to more blogs
This is a very important read for all thank you so much for this piece of information. The way you have elucidated on inclusivity of men's mental health is so brief and informative. Must read for all! Great work.
Nice work 💪🤍