Talking About Men and Mental Health

Mental health is important for everyone, and it is evident that mental health disorders impact all of us regardless of our gender.
Recent statistics indicated that the prevalence of mental illness in men, in the United States, was 19.7%. When comparing this to women, which was at 26.4%, the difference is significantly noticeable.  While this may seem a favorable statistic for men, the reasons for these statistics give a different story.
Why are Men different?
While males and females suffer from the same mental health disorders, their experiences can be very different. In fact, there are some very significant differences. Men tend to demonstrate mental health issues differently. Such as, some signs of mental health issues that are more prevalent in men include.

• Substance abuse
• Anger
• Irritability
• Working obsessively
• Sleep problems
• Reckless behaviors

Also, there are warning signs that present more frequently in men such as.

• Aggressiveness
• Irritability
• Anger
• Mood changes
• Changes in appetite
• Restless
• Alcohol and/or drug use
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Suicidal thoughts
• Having headaches or stomach problems
• Participating in high-risk activities
• Unusual thinking

When we discuss men and mental health, the terminology of ‘gender stereotyping’ ‘gender differences’ and ‘gender bias’s need to be addressed. What exactly do these terms mean and how are they relevant to men and mental health?
Gender stereotyping: This is a preconception related to the characteristics and roles that should be possessed by or performed by a woman or man. This can be harmful as it limits a person’s ability to develop their personal abilities and make choices in their life. Gender stereotypes can also affect how mental health disorders are experienced, perceived and treated. Especially in men.
Gender differences: There are some differences in mental health specific to gender. Females tend to experience depression and anxiety more frequently than males, while males experience more substance abuse disorders and antisocial disorders than females.
Gender bias: This refers to beliefs and practices that favors one gender over another.  How men are treated for their mental health issues can be impacted by this. Many healthcare providers miss or misdiagnosis men’s mental health problems due to their own gender bias. Some providers may have the belief that men should not show weakness or just ‘man up’.
Along with the challenges related to gender, there are other trends contributing to the challenges men face when dealing with mental health concerns.
Men and Trends
It is a known fact that mental illness is often overlooked in men. In addition, mental health disorders often go untreated as men are less likely to seek treatment.  This is reinforced by the trends related to men and mental health issues.

• Depression and suicide are a leading cause of death among men.
• Men experience alcohol-related deaths at a much higher rate than women.
• Men are more likely to misuse drugs and alcohol than women.

These statistics also reinforce the fact that men are reluctant to seek assistance and tend to turn to risky, unhealthy behaviors.  But, perhaps the most significant contributing factor to men’s reluctance in seeking help is the stigma associated with men and mental health.
Stigma
Stigma has been associated with men and their expectations to suppress their emotions and be strong and stoic. This stigma can cause feelings of shame and weakness resulting in a reluctance to seek help or treatment. Research supports the link of seeking treatment for a mental illness to fear of being perceived as weak.  
The experience of stigma can manifest differently in men. Some commonly seen issues for men related to stigma are.

• Emotional Suppression: Men may internalize their feelings rather than seek help.
• Fear of Weakness: Admitting to having a problem with their mental health may be perceived as weakness.
• Social Expectations: Expectations placed on men by our society may actually prevent some men from seeking help for their mental health concerns.
• Lack of Awareness: Some men may not recognize or understand mental health or their mental health problems. This may prevent them from seeking help.
• Barriers: Other barriers to seeking treatment or help include fear of how it may impact their job, reputation, or relationships.

Resources
It is necessary to have conversations about men and mental health, if not men will continue to feel isolated and alone with their struggles with mental health. There does seem to be a growing awareness and willingness to address this concern. More celebrities are willing to share their stories and struggles. Prince Harry, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, Brad Pitt, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, and Michael Phelps are some of those that have come forward and publicly shared their stories. By doing this they are normalizing difficult discussions on mental health and letting other men know that their mental health matters.
Along with increasing awareness that men struggle with mental health, the importance of resources for men with mental health issues has been recognized. Men do want support from family and friends, but the perception that this may make them seem weak could prevent them from seeking it.  Therefore, resources specific to only men are extremely beneficial.  These sources can provide many tools and resources addressing men and mental health. Some of these sites include.
https://headsupguys.org/
https://mantherapy.org/
https://www.mhanational.org/infographic-mental-health-men
June is Men’s Health Month and special consideration and focus is given to men by sharing education and awareness about men’s health issues.
One article referred to mental health disorders in men as the ‘Silent Killer’.  We all need to recognize the severity of this and seek out ways to help change the stigma related to men and mental health. Becoming educated on the issue, increasing awareness, knowing what resources are available, and most importantly starting conversations.  Men want to talk about their mental health, they just might be waiting for someone to ask.
Ask.
 
                                                                                            Peggy Fossen DNP, RN, CNE     
 
 
References
Andaloro, A. (2022, April 19). 20 male celebrities speaking out about mental health and encouraging others to do the same. BuzzFeed. https://www.buzzfeed.com/angelaandaloro/20-male-celebrities-who-have-opened-up-about-their-mental
Chatmon, B. N. (2020). Males and mental health stigma. American journal of men’s health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7444121/
Eric Tirrell, B. (n.d.). Breaking the stigma of men’s mental health. Butler Hospital. https://www.butler.org/blog/breaking-the-stigma-of-mens-mental-health
Eshleman, W. (2020, December 14). Mental illness in men. Best Day Psychiatry & Counseling. https://bestdaypsych.com/mental-illness-in-men/
GoodRx. (n.d.). Mental health support and resources for men. GoodRx. https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/mental-health/mental-health-resources-men
Griffith, D. M., By, Griffith, D. M., Ogunbiyi, A., Jaeger, E., & 2, A. (2024, April 2). Men and Mental Health: What are we missing?. AAMC. https://www.aamc.org/news/men-and-mental-health-what-are-we-missing
How do gender stereotypes affect mental health? (n.d.). https://michaelshouse.com/blog/how-do-gender-stereotypes-affect-mental-health/
Men’s Health Month: Celebrated every june. Mens Health Month. (n.d.). https://menshealthmonth.org/
The gender gap in Mental Health. News. (2022, January 31). https://www.news-medical.net/health/The-Gender-Gap-in-Mental-Health.aspx#:~:text=Differences%20in%20mental%20health%20between%20the%20genders&text=Women%20have%20a%20significantly%20higher,use%20disorders%20and%20antisocial%20behaviors
Vankar, P. (2024, February 12). Mental illness in past year male vs female U.S. 2022. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/252311/mental-illness-in-the-past-year-among-us-adults-by-age-and-gender/#:~:text=As%20of%202022%2C%20some%2026.4,anxiety%20disorders%2C%20and%20mood%20disorders