Gender norms are commonly known to be harmful to women and those who identify as female, as they restrict their autonomy, freedom, and self-expression. Men, however, are typically seen as the benefactors of these norms and the patriarchal system they operate under. Given the role of provider, males were placed in charge of households and given authority over their wives and children. Nevertheless, one negative impact of these gender roles is still experienced today in the form of men’s relationship with mental health.
Compared to women, men are far less likely to seek support or counseling regarding mental health. One foundation finds that only 36% of referrals to their auditory therapies were for men. This does not mean that men experience fewer difficulties regarding mental illnesses than women; statistically, 1 in 10 men face depression and anxiety, and men are more often diagnosed with ADHD than women are. Yet, less than half of men experiencing mental health issues will seek professional help.
Why are men so hesitant to share their struggles? A leading factor towards the silence lies in the stigmas surrounding mental illnesses in men. While discussing mental health issues is already looked down upon, many men believe that admitting their difficulties makes them weak, and due to gender norms, they prefer to suffer alone rather than to seem less manly. Often, they are told to “toughen up” and, from a young age, are discouraged from crying and expressing their emotions because it can be perceived as a weakness. Due to this, men grapple with being vulnerable around others, which is what therapy consists of. Therefore, they turn to other methods to cope with their deteriorating mental health as opposed to the health care system. Substance abuse, alcoholism, and violent behavior are displayed at higher rates by men than women, suggesting they gravitate towards self-destructive coping mechanisms instead of therapeutic ones.
Even when men seek mental health care, these stigmas continue to impact their treatment. Some men feel that providers underestimate their needs when they have attended therapy, and others believe they were misdiagnosed completely. Data compiled from the United States and Canada found that more than 60% of men who died by suicide had experienced mental health services within the year preceding their death. The lack of success could be caused by the differing symptoms experienced by men and women with the same mental illnesses. Men are more likely to display anger, irritability, and aggression when they have depression, while women commonly experience sadness, loss of interest, and fatigue. When mental health experts diagnose, they may not consider these differences and fail to accurately diagnose men because women are more commonly evaluated. Additionally, providers may display less sympathy and understanding for men’s struggles due to their own stigmas and stereotypes. They may believe that men need to “man up” or that they only possess an issue with substances or aggression and not mental illness.
Men’s aversion to mental health treatment because of these stigmas impacts the development of the treatment of mental illnesses in men. With fewer patients and potentially inaccurate diagnoses, there are less studies being performed on men’s mental health. This prevents improvement in the medical field surrounding mental health and prevents support for individuals suffering alone. It is time to change the way we think about mental health, especially men’s mental health. The stigma surrounding the discussion of mental illness inhibits growth in the treatment and awareness of these issues, pushing back possibilities for further advancements.
Leave a Reply