MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH

Since 1854, psychology has been setting roots, but its acknowledgment and appreciation have only recently reached the point where people have started to understand its importance and the necessity of being diagnosed. The most common issues in this field nowadays are depression, anxiety, OCD, panic disorders, and many more. It’s good to realise people seek help in times of crisis, but this still requires more awakening. Since the pandemic, mental health has become a major concern for teenagers and adults. However, to my surprise, despite knowing how to help themselves, men are the most negligent.

A known fact says: “According to a Today Show survey of 1,000 men, 49% of men feel more depressed than they are willing to admit to the people around them, and 45% believe mental health issues can be solved on their own.” As we all know, our mental health affects how we think, feel, and act. It influences our stress management, rationality, and many more aspects of our daily lives. Mental health affects both men and women, though not in similar ways. But the subject does not concern who suffers the most, as mental illness can be highly risky if not led to a proper diagnosis. Anxiety is the most common mental health problem for men, and depression is the next most common.Men are less likely than women to acquire a diagnosis for any of the most prevalent mental health problems, and those who do are less likely to seek treatment after receiving a diagnosis. However, men commit suicide at a rate almost four times that of women.

The conventional stigmas regarding men in society are to be emotionally tough, avoid displaying their sensitive side, and be hesitant to seek help. Many prejudices stand in the way of therapies as a result of this.According to research in the UK, the grounds for depression or stress among men are financial crises, work-related issues, relationship issues, and health issues. In a new study, it was found that 1 in 10 men suffer from prenatal and postpartum depression as well, and they are likely to have different symptoms as compared to women. Fathers suffering from this might lose hope, have low motivation, have suicidal thoughts, or withdraw from relationships. This shows that there are many occurrences of depression among men that are neglected by society. A survey of 1000 males revealed that 60% of them had experienced depression at some point in their lives and talked about it, whereas 40% said that it would take suicidal or self-harming thoughts for them to feel the need to seek professional assistance. Children between the ages of 12 and 17 exhibit indicators of mental health concerns, according to the Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (15.9% of males and 12.8% of girls). Young male adults are also more likely to commit suicide, which is a result of high levels of familial pressure, problems with their jobs, bullying at school, the loss of a loved one, and difficult relationships.

Apart from common symptoms, men show escapist behavior, spend more time working or on sports, have problems with alcohol or drug use, exhibit controlling, violent, or abusive behavior, or engage in reckless driving. Young people must be taught to assess their behaviors, consider the impact of their actions on others, and interact with others in interpersonal relationships to avoid such carelessness. It is also advisable that, as with modernization, these symptoms arise early in adolescence, and to avoid recklessness, they seek professional help. People should also cut down on their approach to traditional stigmas of toxic masculinity. As Levin says, “If men are less willing to ask for help, they will continue to experience the symptoms contributing to depression.” Parents should be more observant of their children at this young age, noticing ignorant or irritable situations among children. Furthermore, men use maladaptive coping strategies such as drug or alcohol use to numb their pain or engage in avoidant behaviour or emotional withdrawal. Men use the problem-focused coping mechanism because they are less likely to speak about their problems.