Men and Mental Health

When it comes to men and mental health, the two do not go together very well. It is important for people of all ages to talk about mental health and to understand the potential dangers of it. I will be answering the question, why is it so hard for men to talk about their mental health. Back in high school, I had a friend (who was a boy) and he took his life. This shocked me to my core. He was the class clown, he was funny, and always joking around. No one knew he was struggling, but now that I have had time to reflect I realize some signs that he in fact was. It is important to discuss the roles gender play in our society, and how it can affect the mental health of men and women.

1. Why Men's Mental Health should be Talked about more

Men have mental health problems too. This should be a fairly obvious statement, however, women are much more likely to come forward and get help with their mental struggles. Suicide is actually the second leading cause of death for males ages 10-34. My friend in high school was a happy guy. I would have never thought that anything was wrong, or that he was unhappy. Until one day he decided to take his own life. No one even knew that he was struggling with depression, and I just constantly find myself wondering why he never said anything. It is important that we try and destigmatize this “fragile masculinity” society we live in, it could save lives.

2. Why don't Men talk about Mental Health as much as Women?

There are certain social expectations that are set in society. Traditionally gender roles play a part as to why men are less likely to seek help for their mental health. Men are often expected to be strong, dominant, and in control. Those are not bad things, but the expectations and stereotypes can make it challenging to open up. Men are also a lot more likely to cope with mental health in potentially harmful ways; such ask, drugs, alcohol, isolation, and even suicide. Trying to meet all the stereotypical requirements of being a man can be very damaging to mental health in men.

3. Is Depression Different for Men?

Now, because I am a female, I cannot answer this myself. However, I do remember my friend's behavior changing before he decided to take his life. He became much more distant, he was always at work. I can assume that this is escapist behavior, and he was trying to ignore his problems by working a lot. I don’t think that men have a different type of depression as women, but I do think that they react to depression much differently. It is not “macho” to have emotions or to be sad, and I believe this leads men to these escapes. Overworking, drinking, and drug abuse are common reactions to men who are struggling with mental health.

4. How can Mental Health Affect you long term?

Mental health disorders can actually lead to a lot of physical health problems as well. As I mentioned before, men are more prone to drinking and drugs. There are many physical issues that can come along with that as well as battling the mental ones. Men with high anxiety can lead to heart disease or to an increased risk of a heart attack. People who suffer from poor mental health often lose sleep, which can lead to chronic fatigue. Finally, there is also the chance of suicide. There are many long-term effects that people need to know about and be aware of so that they can seek the proper help.

5. What Activities can Affect Mental Health?

Being a student is already very difficult, and hard enough as it is. With social media, and being able to know what everyone is doing all of the time can really affect mental health. Many people don’t realize how fake social media actually is, and when you are a high schooler seeing your peers having a great time or someone living the life you dream, it becomes consuming. I believe that activities like sports or clubs can help mental health issues a lot. It is proven that exercising can increase your mental health.

6. What are ways to promote mental health in a “fragile masculinity” environment?

This is the challenging part. What needs to happen is the de-stigmatization of “macho men”. Honestly, I am not exactly sure how to do this as a society. Some things that can help are normalizing men talking about their feelings. It is important to let men know that they are not less of a man if they are some emotions. Another thing that can help educate everyone on the dangers of negative mental health. Gender stereotypes play a dangerous role in most people’s mental health, yet as a society, we can not seem to let them go. Diminishing the stereotypes for both genders would be a huge step in the right direction.

7. If you are worried about someone’s mental health, how can you help them?

It can be tricky to try and help someone if you think that they are struggling. It is important to let them know that you are concerned about them without judgment. The person that is struggling is likely to distance themselves, so try and keep them close and consistently reach out to them. Find local support groups, but only if the person is okay with that and okay with going. It is also important to take care of yourself, looking out for someone can be challenging so consider your well-being also.

Conclusion

In a world of toxic masculinity, men talking about their mental health can be very difficult. Having bottled-up emotions can lead to drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and suicide. There are also many long-term effects that negative mental health brings. Suicide is the second leading death for young men, and it is time to put an end to it. It is important to make men feel comfortable with their emotions and make them feel like it is okay to seek help. As a society, we must work together to de-stigmatize toxic masculinity and end gender stereotypes. Also, be sure to always reach out to a friend if you think that they are struggling. This leads me to my question, How can we de-stigmatize gender roles so that men can become more in touch with their emotions.

**************************************************************

Statistics

Word count: 1082

Error count: 18

Error density: 2%