Men's Mental Health: All Quiet on the Health Front

 Samuel Schradin

Men's Mental Health: All Quiet on the Health Front 

Within the laws of causality lies an ever increasing commonality amongst men in the United States in regards to mental health. Society has become more complex, and the social normalities change with each new generation; thus, yielding a shift in the conditions and standards of mental health for men. Economic stressors, toxic masculinity, and biased stigma have shown the trend of consequence to be negative. Mental health disorders, such as anxiety, addiction, and depression have seen significant uptick in recent years within males. Despite making up half the population, according to the CDC, males committed around 80 percent of all suicides in the US during 2022 [1]. This statistic can only lead to one conclusion: men aren’t getting the help they need.

This begs the question: why not? The answer lies within traditionalism and misinformation. Men are often told that they have to be strong, independent, and the bread winner. If they fail, the family fails. “Tough it out,” is a phrase that I have personally heard numerous times. This way of thinking, especially with the current societal atmosphere, is a dangerous way of thinking. It promotes toxicity between men and encourages shame for getting help. According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, “nearly 1 in 10 men experience some form of depression or anxiety but less than half seek treatment,” [2]. The societal pressure to “man up and deal with hit,” mostly established during the 1900’s, has lead to disgustingly high suicide rates.

   

Figure 1: This graph shows the suicide rates in 2022. Males are every top statistic [3]

Symptoms and indicators of bad mental health such as loneliness, isolation, and stress have spiraled into copious other issues as well. Instead of seeking professional help, men will often turn to substance abuse as a way to escape. According to the Gateway Foundation, “The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) is the largest study of substance abuse in recent years. It shows that men are 2.2 times more likely than women to abuse drugs and 1.9 times more likely to develop a drug dependence,” [4]. This statistic is absolutely not meant to discredit women's mental health struggles. In fact, women are three times likely to experience mental health issues than men [5]. However, there is a clear discrepancy when it comes to gender identity and mental health. This discrepancy often comes in the form of education. 

Men are typically not educated on the benefits of therapy and professional help. According to chief behavior health officer Kevin Simon, “many men don’t realize that therapy could provide the necessary skills and tools for coping with their emotions,” [6]. A contributing factor to this lack of information and spreading of misinformation is social media. Instagram, Tik Tok, Snapchat, Facebook, and many other social media platforms are flooded with content creators that contribute to the perpetuation of stereotypical masculinity, unrealistic body image, and feeling alone [7]. While these platforms allow us to connect with our peers, they can often lead to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and addictive tendencies of their own. 

Figure 2: This graph depicts the increasing trend of social media usage with the odds of developing a mental disorder [8]

It almost feels impossible to escape from these issues. I have struggled with anxiety, stress, and bipolarish tendencies ever since middle school and yet, I haven’t gone and sought help. The truth is, I don’t feel like I deserve help. I have been blessed with an amazing family and the best friends I could ever ask for. Why should I be struggling? This is a horrible mindset, and it's one that has plagued my generation and the people around me for a while now. It's almost comical that even after doing the research for this paper and writing it, I still feel anxious, obstinate, and unwilling to seek help. 

We need to work toward abandoning philosophies like mine as a society. Men should be encouraged to be open about their emotions, and understand that being stressed and anxious is okay as long as you’re seeking help for it. We need a healthier outlook on mental health for not just men, but all gender identities. Mental healthcare should not be a last-ditch effort, it should be a normalized part of our society. By working together, we can dismantle the toxicity of the society we fostered, and work towards creating a better culture for everyone. 

References:

[1]https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html#:~:text=Suicide%20rates%20increased%2037%25%20between,to%20their%20peak%20in%202022. 

[2]https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html#:~:text=Suicide%20rates%20increased%2037%25%20between,to%20their%20peak%20in%202022.

[3]https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html#:~:text=Suicide%20rates%20increased%2037%25%20between,to%20their%20peak%20in%202022.

[4]https://www.gatewayfoundation.org/blog/gender-differences-substance-abuse/#:~:text=The%20National%20Epidemiologic%20Survey%20on,of%20addiction%20in%20men%20vs.

[5]https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/statistics/men-women-statistics#:~:text=Today%2C%20women%20are%20three%20times,experience%20common%20mental%20health%20problems.

[6]https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/08/stigma-mental-health-care-men/

[7]https://www.hendrxhealth.com/the-t/the-impact-of-social-media-on-mens-mental-health#:~:text=Men%20may%20feel%20pressure%20to,and%20often%20unattainable%20body%20image.

[8]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9103874/#:~:text=The%20risk%20of%20depression%20increased,social%20media%20use%20in%20adolescents.