By Vincent Thomson
As a young man, I was always told by my peers and my father to “suck it up” or “You are so much stronger than that.” This ended up taking a toll on my emotional well-being and ultimately distorting how I acted. Furthermore, I was never taught how to express my emotions, which led me down a dark path inside my own head. Luckily now that I am older, I realized there are specific barriers that men face while growing up into adulthood. Those specific barriers have affected how I act and made me recognize that this is why men are not reaching out for help when they need it.
Whether we like it or not, our society has a particular set of rules. Since we were young, we have all been taught how to behave and react based on the cultures and societal standards we grew up in. This is where we can see the mental health stigma for men come into play. For example, American society has the most considerable effect on men because of cultural norms. These cultural norms are described as a set of rules. Because American culture is so demanding, the masculine norms of men have stricter rules. Moreover, when young men grow up, they follow these “rules” and can develop a sense of power or dominance over all genders. This is where the feeling of not needing anyone’s help originates.
Men can be victims too.
With millions of men suffering from mental health illnesses, there are still a few men seeking help. As a result, the stigma of “men are too strong” or “men shouldn’t be showing their emotions” continues to be reinforced. This is why it is becoming increasingly important to break this stigma. Breaking this stigma can help save lives, and according to the CDC, “The suicide rate among males in 2021 was approximately four times higher than the rate among females”. This statistic is also troubling because not only are males perceived as unlikely to experience trauma, they are not seeking the treatment they need and instead taking violent actions to end their lives.
Additionally, we can look at examples of how men are dealing with specific traumas internally and the difficulties that follow abuse. The first example of men being victims and not speaking up can be seen in sexual assault cases. “Since 1998, 2.78 million men in the U.S. have been victims of attempted or completed rape,” sadly, both men and women are experiencing high rates of sexual assault. But if we hope to break this male stigma, we must consider males internalizing specific traumas like sexual assault.
Men are taught to be tough and avoid vulnerability as they grow up. So after experiencing a significant trauma like sexual assault, men tend to either become shallow or unable to process what just happened to them. That is why when men try to seek help, they don’t have the dialect to talk about what happened. Unable to express their emotions, men can start questioning their worth, and eventually, mental illnesses follow. One of the leading mental illnesses that can follow specific traumas is depression and anxiety.
Secondly, depression and anxiety have been the silent killer for all genders. However, it has been the silent killer for all men in recent generations. Depression and anxiety are the silent killers for all men because of the mental health stigma surrounding men. Getting rid of the masculine norms and educating younger generations of men will stop depression and anxiety from taking lives. Identifying the critical triggers in men and how they develop depression can help reduce the male stigma.
Key Triggers and Signs of Declining Male Mental Health
As their counter gender, males experience feelings of sadness, emptiness, and extreme fatigue. In addition, a lack of sleep and enjoyment from once-favored activities is quite prevalent. However, men specifically will display drug or alcohol abuse, develop aggressive behavioral patterns, and exhibit a lack of controlled driving. Men will also shift their attention to work, friends, or outside interests such as sports or entertainment. It has been found that men exhibit fewer triggers than women experiencing poor mental health and, as a result, are more likely to end their lives.
Undoubtedly, identifying key depression and anxiety symptoms in men will help create conversation. After all, one of the main issues we face with the male mental health stigma is not talking about it. Being educated and knowing when to speak and reach out to the men in your life will create those meaningful conversations. Those meaningful conversations could be the first ever in that man’s life.
Ending the Stigma: It’s Time!
The mental health stigma surrounding men needs to end. It needs to cease to be able to save lives and make sure men feel comfortable when talking about their feelings. Cultural norms also dictate how men act. So if we hope to make men feel comfortable talking about their feelings, we must end these cultural norms. With that being said, the time is now. The time is now to ensure we are all comfortable talking about our feelings. Because ultimately, if we hope to help these men end the stigma surrounding mental health, we all must be educated.
If you or anyone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Hotline number–988 and help them seek the professional help they need.
Here at Norooz Clinic, we offer affordable and quality individual therapy services to all genders. We believe that everyone deserves a happy life and it all starts from within. Please contact us at 714-386-9171 or submit your inquiry here www.noroozclinic.com/book-your-appointment/
References
Staff, Mayo Clinic. “How Depression Can Look Different for Men.” Mayo Clinic, 21 Dec. 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/male-depression/art-20046216.
“Suicide Data and Statistics.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11 May 2023, www.cdc.gov/suicide/suicide-data-statistics.html.
“Victims of Sexual Violence: Statistics.” RAINN, www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence. Accessed 7 June 2023.
