“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often
times we call a man cold he is only sad” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
There is still a clear gap between men and
mental health, despite the
significant changes in the open debate about mental health over the previous
ten years. The issue extends far beyond the myth that men are unable to
communicate their emotions; stigma, masculine norms, and societal issues all
have a significant effect on how men view, address, and care for their
mental health.
More than six million people experience
depression
annually. The sixth most common cause of death for men right now is
suicide.
Speaking about mental health is taboo in South Asian culture. Because their
society disapproves of gender diversity and views masculine fragility as
unmanly, men are expected to be stoic. Rules that define how men should
behave are one of the greatest obstacles to obtaining help and prohibiting
men from discussing their mental health in public.
Theoretically, discussing one s mental health with others should be
comparable to discussing a broken bone or any other physical illness, but
stigma prevents many men from doing so. The stigma surrounding mental
illness hinders males from talking about it with their loved ones, which
also prevents them from coping with it or seeking help. Several stigmas,
including societal, cultural, professional, and, to a large extent,
self-stigma, have an impact on how men see mental health.
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The reinforcement of male norms in our culture and society is another
challenge for men
depression dealing with mental health concerns. Masculine norms are the social codes and conduct expected of males and
manhood in a certain culture. The notion that males are not expected to
display sadness, grief, or pain and that doing so is the ultimate evidence
of weakness or femininity is fostered by the expressions "man up," "toughen
up," and "boys don t cry," among others. Because of the expectations placed
on males to be "masculine," many men put off getting professional care for
their mental health.
Similar symptoms and mental health issues affect men and women. They may
experience depression,
anxiety,
panic attacks
, and eating disorders. Men and women normally experience emotions in the
same ways, but they handle them in different ways. Men tend to try to deny
there is a problem for a longer period of time than women.
Men usually express their emotions by body language, such as physical
gestures, changes in expression, tensed muscles, and gritting their teeth,
as opposed to verbally expressing them.
The majority of males would rather find solutions to problems than talk
about their feelings; they would rather find a solution first and then talk
about how they got there. After resolving a problem, men often have more
time to process their emotions, giving them the necessary time to think
before responding.
When emotions are less complex than when they are complex, men can
recognize them more rapidly.
Anger
over the trash not being picked up is a simpler emotion than grieving the
loss of a close friend or family member, which is more challenging.
Men frequently convert stereotypically feminine feelings like sorrow or
vulnerability into feelings like wrath or pride that are more acceptable in
society.
Men s mental health concerns can develop for a variety of reasons,
including:
Sexism:
Men with worse mental health may be more inclined to fiercely adhere to
stereotypically masculine norms.
Trauma:
This might involve really upsetting experiences like being sexually
molested, going through combat, or frequently being in stressful situations
(e.g., firefighters or policemen). For instance, post-traumatic
stress disorder
develops in 65% of
men who are sexually assaulted (PTSD). Being in a war or seeing a violent event can also raise the risk of
developing anxiety disorders like
PTSD.
Poor working circumstances or a heavy workload:
have been linked to an increased risk of mental health problems in men, as
have work stress and a lack of social support.
Traditional gender roles:
These may include pressure to provide for others or social conventions that
prevent males from discussing their feelings.
Abuse in childhood or problems in the home:
Any negative event in childhood increases the chance of mental health
problems as an adult.
Work loss:
Men who lose their jobs or retire have a higher chance of developing
depression.
Depression
affects one in seven males who lose their jobs.
Divorce and separation:
Men frequently believe that they should be the family s provider and
peacemaker.
Men who have been divorced tend to have more severe and persistent
depression.
Financial concerns:
Economic concerns are a leading source of stress for many people and may
contribute to the emergence of some mental health conditions.
Substance abuse:
Although such "self-medication" can ultimately make things worse, men may
be more likely to use drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism for
mental health concerns.
Advantages of Opting for Therapy
Treatment can have a variety of significant advantages, including:
-
Assisting you in understanding your problem.
-
Symptom reduction and quality of life enhancement.
-
Allowing you to set and meet specific wellness objectives.
-
Strengthening your ability to handle stress.
-
Assisting in building your relationships with friends and family.
-
Reducing or stopping harmful or negative behaviors, such as excessive
eating or spending.
Your mental health might benefit from improving your physical health as
well. Aerobic exercise has been demonstrated to improve sleep, boost mood
and self-esteem, lessen social isolation (when done in a group environment),
lessen
stress
and
anxiety, and reduce sadness and anxiety.
Men who might not normally seek care are being reached out to using
contemporary methods including web-based interventions and tele-health,
online mental health tools. For depressive males who don t feel comfortable
seeking out conventional mental health therapy, these methods may feel safer
and easier to access.
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