Many individuals experience a multitude of mental health challenges throughout their lives that may require various levels of well-being support and/or mental health treatment.
But, findings show that although we’ve made progress in recent years, males still have lower engagement in mental health care.
Research has found that men are more reluctant to reach out for support or treatment mainly because of societal and self-stigma. The work has started but changing how we think about mental health can take time. Studies show that males are more likely to engage in mental health care when there are positive attitudes about mental health, awareness of how to access services and improved mental health literacy.
The Real Impact of Mental Health Stigma
Cultural norms and the way in which men are brought up teach us that men should be “strong” and “tough enough” to deal with problems on their own. Many men who are impacted by feelings of shame around mental health often experience isolation, struggle to speak up and avoid accessing support. This can increase the risk of:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Substance abuse
- Suicidal behaviours
- Violent behaviours
Higher Prevalence of Suicide
According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, there are an estimated 4,000 suicide deaths in Canada each year, and nearly 75 percent of these are men. Researchers have confirmed that high rates of male suicide are connected to depression, substance use, unemployment, separation or divorce, poverty and lack of being socially connected.
Prevention is a key strategy to addressing and reducing the high rate of male suicide deaths. When men access mental health support earlier, they typically experience better outcomes because they have an increased self-awareness about the signs and symptoms, know where to access support when they need it and they have developed greater comfort with being open about emotional issues.
Providing Support
It can feel or seem that there are barriers to helping male friends or loved ones get the mental health support they need. The following tips will help you have a more meaningful mental health conversation.
1. Be a good listener – Sometimes, people aren’t necessarily looking for immediate solutions to their problems, they just need somebody to listen and care. Be open to what they choose to share, hold back from interrupting and embrace the pauses to allow them time to express their thoughts and feelings.
2. Provide additional resources – Your friend or family member may be unaware of local support groups and other mental health resources. In your back pocket, have a few ideas for resources that are tailored for men’s mental health and information about mental healthcare providers in case they’re ready to take that next step.
3. Prioritize your mental well-being – You cannot help somebody else with mental health issues if you are struggling emotionally. Make it a priority to care for your own emotional and physical well-being first.
For more information on how we can help, chat with our iHealthOX Care Team.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-can-we-reduce-mens-mental-health-stigma
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7444121/
https://www.metlife.com.au/blog/blog-home/wellness/Breaking-down-the-stigma-of-mens-mental-health/
https://homewoodhealth.com/corporate/blog/mens-mental-health#:~:text=The%20current%20climate%20of%20men’s%20mental%20health&text=As%20a%20society%2C%20stigmas%20associated,and%20depression%20won’t%20help.
https://toronto.cmha.ca/mens-mental-health/
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