Why We Should Care About Men’s Mental Health
Mental health challenges affect everyone at some point or another in life. However, men’s mental health has historically been overlooked, leading to disproportionate diagnoses and treatment relative to women. This disparity exists for a variety of reasons, including different gender norms and cultural and societal expectations around socialization, weaker social support systems, stigma around help-seeking, and different symptom expression. As a result, mental health care is less sought out by and accessible to men, making them more vulnerable to adverse outcomes and negatively impacting those around them. Below are some reasons to care more about men’s mental health as well as suggestions for improving men’s mental health.
Higher Mortality Rates Among Men
Beginning in the late 1990’s, an alarming trend began emerging among White, middle-aged (45-54) men, and specifically those with only a high school degree. Researchers found that this demographic was experiencing an increase in mortality largely due to drug and alcohol poisoning, suicide, and chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis, a term they coined “deaths of despair.” Around the world, men die by suicide at significantly higher rates than women, even though women tend to be diagnosed with depression and anxiety more frequently; this has been attributed to factors disproportionately affecting men’s mental health such as stigma, emotion suppression, and lack of social support. However, the higher rate of deaths of despair is unique to men in the United States, suggesting links between socioeconomic inequality, systemic problems in education and employment impacting men’s cognitive and social health, and the growing opioid epidemic during this time. These disadvantages have persisted across generations, contributing to the distress and social dysfunction that are now becoming more apparent among men in this population.
Men’s Mental Health Affects Everyone’s Mental Health
These higher morbidity and mortality rates among men have had far-reaching consequences. When someone struggles with mental health issues, the effects ripple out to others: partners, children, friends, co-workers, and communities and society more broadly. What’s more, mental health struggles are often expressed differently by men than by women, most notably through externalizing behaviors such as aggression, risk-taking, alcohol and other substance misuse, social withdrawal or isolation, and relationship breakdown. Whereas women tend to experience more internalizing symptoms such as fear or tearfulness, men’s symptoms are often directed outward and are more likely to be destructive or harmful toward others.
Men’s symptoms also tend to show up as physical ailments such as chronic pain, digestive issues, or cardiovascular problems, which can strain the healthcare system and result in diminished performance at school or work, or in extreme cases, a complete withdrawal from society. Men’s mental health affects everyone else’s mental health, and disregarding it negatively impacts us all. On the flipside, caring about men’s mental health leads to more opportunities for support and a greater likelihood that men will get the help they need to thrive, leading to healthier relationships, safer communities, and stronger economies.
How We Can All Improve Men’s Mental Health
Since men’s mental health impacts us all, we all need to take part in addressing it in order to reduce stigma, increase access to support, and improve the overall health of our society. Below are some suggestions for ways to begin caring more about men’s mental health:
Increase education and awareness: If you come across information on mental health or hear inspiring stories from others, pass these on to people in your network. Podcast episodes, news articles, TV shows and movies, and social media are all common platforms for getting and disseminating information, although it is important to consider the accuracy of your sources by looking at where it is coming from or fact-checking. You can also share resources on mental health, such as the 9-8-8 crisis help line or those specific to men’s mental health such as the ones listed at the bottom of this website.
Challenge stereotypes and change old narratives: Common stereotypes include beliefs that men should be tough, dominant, aggressive, and non-emotional; that being vulnerable or admitting to mental health struggles means men are weak, less masculine, or failures; and that men should be independent and able to solve their problems on their own. It’s time to shift these dangerous narratives by encouraging and validating men’s emotional experiences, offering support, and reframing asking for help as a strength.
Initiate and encourage conversations around mental health: Check in with loved ones by inquiring how they are feeling, asking how they may be coping with a difficult situation, or sharing your own emotions and challenges. Being vulnerable can be scary but it is a part of being human and it often gives permission to others to do the same, leading to more intimate relationships and reassurance knowing you are not alone in your experiences.
Lean into social connections and relationships: It can be tempting to socially withdraw when we aren’t feeling our best, but this prevents us from getting the support that will ultimately help us feel better. Focus on strengthening and leveraging your connections with others by answering people’s texts or phone calls, accepting invites, and initiating plans with others when you are feeling good. Then, when you are struggling it will be easier to reach out to others who you already have strong relationships with, whether it be a partner, a family member, a close friend, or a coworker.
Create more opportunities for in person interactions: In an increasingly digital world, it can be easy to spend all your time online and neglect in person interactions. While online relationships can be healthy and fulfilling, they lack some of the critical benefits of in person interactions and they should not be a substitute for these relationships. Make an effort to connect with others in environments you may already be frequenting such as the gym, dog park, restaurants or bars, the workplace, or a child’s school. Get exposure to new environments and social opportunities by joining local groups, clubs, courses, or engaging in activities you enjoy IRL.
Normalize seeking professional help: Statistics show that only about 40% of men in the United States receive treatment for mental health issues compared to about 52-57% of women. This is in part because of the harmful and inaccurate stereotypes and norms that have been perpetuated around men needing to “suck it up” and figure it out on their own. If you had a physical condition that was impacting your livelihood or ability to function, you would see a doctor and work toward solutions, whether it be medication or lifestyle adjustments. Seeking help from a mental health professional, such as a therapist or psychiatrist, is no different—it’s important to remember that mental health is health.
Men’s mental health is not just limited to individual wellbeing; it affects us all, and it is therefore something we all need to care about. By working together to reduce the silence and stigma around mental health, provide more opportunities for support, and treat men’s mental health equally to women’s, this will improve the lives of us all.