Mind Over Masculinity: Breaking the Stigma of Men’s Mental Health

This article is a repost which originally appeared on RHODY HEALTH/Cranston HERALD

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Written by: Eric Tirrell, clinical manager of the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) program and the research operations manager for the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in Neuromodulation at Butler Hospital and Joshua Davis a program therapist in the Butler Hospital’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program. 

Mental health is a crucial part of our overall well-being, yet it remains a topic that is often misunderstood, stigmatized, and overlooked, especially for men. For far too long, men have been expected to suppress their emotions, to tough it out, to soldier on through difficult times. This resulted in a significant gap in our understanding of men’s mental health needs and an alarming disparity in the rates of suicide, substance abuse, and other mental health issues among men.

By breaking down the walls of stigma and shame surrounding men’s mental health, we can start addressing this critical issue with compassion, understanding, and empathy. Here we will explore the importance of men’s mental health, the challenges men face when seeking help, and the available treatment options that can help them achieve greater emotional well-being and fulfillment.

Sobering Statistics

• Men are more likely to die by suicide than women. In the United States, men account for nearly 75% of all suicides.

• Men are less likely to seek help for mental health issues than women. In a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, only 35% of men reported they would seek help from a mental health professional, compared to 58% of women.

• Men are more likely to struggle with certain mental health conditions. For example, men are more likely to be diagnosed with alcohol dependence and antisocial personality disorder, while women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders.

• Men are more likely to experience workplace stress and burnout. According to a survey by the American Institute of Stress, men are more likely to report feeling overwhelmed at work and are less likely to take time off to care for their mental health. (Ultram online)

• Men are more likely to engage in risky behaviors as a coping mechanism. This can include substance abuse, reckless driving, and other dangerous activities.

Importance of Men’s Mental Health

Men’s mental health is important for many reasons.

1. Mental health issues can severely affect a man’s quality of life. This includes relationships, work, and personal goals.

2. Depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions can impact a person’s ability to function, causing them to feel hopeless, isolated, and overwhelmed.

3. Untreated mental health conditions can lead to physical health issues like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

4. Mental health issues can have a ripple effect on those around them, including family members, friends, and colleagues.

5. When men struggle with mental health issues, it can impact their relationships and those closest to them.

6. Addressing men’s mental health is crucial for building a more equitable society that prioritizes all individuals’ well-being, regardless of gender.

Contributing Factors

Several factors contribute to men’s reluctance to seek help for mental health issues. These include societal expectations of masculinity, mental health stigma, and a lack of awareness about available resources.

Men are often expected to be strong, stoic, and self-sufficient, making it difficult to acknowledge their struggles and ask for help. Additionally, mental health stigma can make men feel ashamed or weak for struggling with mental health issues, further preventing them from seeking help.

Treatment Options for Men’s Mental Health

Fortunately, several treatment options are available for men struggling with mental health issues. These include:

• Therapy: Talk therapy can involve working with a mental health professional to identify and address mental health issues. Therapy can be conducted in person, online, or over the phone and can help men develop coping strategies, manage symptoms, and improve their overall mental health.

• Medication: In some cases, medication can be used to treat mental health issues. This may include antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, or mood stabilizers. Medication can help manage symptoms and improve overall mental health but should always be prescribed and monitored by a healthcare professional.

• Support groups: Support groups can be valuable for men struggling with mental health issues. These groups provide a safe space for men to share their experiences, connect with others going through similar challenges, and receive emotional support.

• Lifestyle changes: Making lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and practicing stress-management techniques, can also improve mental health. These changes can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, improve mood, and promote overall well-being.

• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): ECT uses brief, low-energy electrical pulses to stimulate nerve-cell activity in the part of the brain that affects mood. Stimulating this area helps to alleviate symptoms of depression. The electrical impulses are delivered through electrodes placed on the scalp. Patients are given anesthesia to relax and ensure the procedure is pain-free.

• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): TMS is an FDA-approved outpatient treatment that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerves in the brain non-invasively. This innovative and safe technique requires no sedation or anesthesia and successfully treats individuals suffering from Major Depressive Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Published reports from TMS treatment studies for depression show that more than half of patients treated with TMS Therapy experienced significant improvements in symptoms, and one-third of patients experienced full remission of their depressive episodes.

Disclaimer: The content in this blog is for informational and educational purposes only and should not serve as medical advice, consultation, or diagnosis.  If you have a medical concern, please consult your healthcare provider, or seek immediate medical treatment. 

‘It feels like a badge of dishonor’: How to overcome the stigma surrounding men’s mental health

JOANNA HAYES [email protected] Jun 30, 2023 Updated 13 hrs ago

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Post Register

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Key Points

‧ Men often find it difficult to discuss mental health issues.

‧ Men make up to 80% of suicides.

‧ Everyone struggles with something.  Talking about it can go a long way towards helping.

Five years ago, Charles Hale walked down Park Avenue, having finally mustered the courage to seek help out of homelessness.

Hale looked up and saw the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission sign. His heart beating uncontrollably. His shame hanging over his head. He couldn’t carry the burden of addiction any longer.

What were the people at the Rescue Mission going to tell him? What were they going to think of him? Hale never thought he would find real help in Idaho Falls, a town full of strangers.

He took a deep breath and opened the mission’s front door. He had nothing with him. Hale sat down at the front desk and explained that he needed a safe place to sleep. He didn’t want to spend another night on the street. He had been without shelter for five years, spending cold nights in Phoenix, Spokane, Seattle and, now, Idaho Falls.

“You know how they say the grass isn’t any greener?” Hale said. “Well the streets aren’t any blacker. It didn’t matter where I went.”

After meeting with a volunteer at the Rescue Mission for a few minutes, Hale started to wonder if the Idaho Falls streets might be less black. He might get off of them this time around.

The volunteer asked Hale if he could pass a urinalysis, as the Rescue Mission requires their guests to be sober upon admission and throughout their stay.

Hale couldn’t. He had been struggling with addiction his entire bout with homelessness. The Rescue Mission sent him to the Behavioral Health Crisis Center while he got sober.

But Hale knew he didn’t want to stay at the crisis center. There was something different about the Rescue Mission. They smiled when he entered. He felt his heart beat slower. His shame lifted. The Rescue Mission would help him carry the burden.

“I had become jaded from seeing the world (on the streets),” Hale said. “My breakthrough moment was when I walked through those doors and saw someone with a smile. It broke me.”

Hale never thought he would end up homeless. No one does. His family was close. They went to church every Sunday. He got a bachelor’s degree in information technology and a master’s degree in business.

Hale climbed the corporate ladder in Phoenix for 15 years. He married a lovely woman and had three beautiful boys. And then his mental health took a turn for the worse. He lost his father and fell into a deep reliance on alcohol and drugs.

“It was three strikes,” Hale said. “I lost my father, then my career and then my wife and three kids.”

For five years, Hale struggled under the weight of grief and addiction.

“It feels like you’re wearing a placard around your neck saying ‘addict’ or ‘homeless.’ You don’t need people to tell you that you are less than. You already feel that,” Hale said.

Hale said many men find it difficult to open up about their struggles, especially when it comes to mental health.

“It feels like a badge of dishonor,” Hale said.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women. Men make up 50% of the United States population but 80% of the suicides.

Kade Anderson, a psychiatrist with Ascend Mental Health Center in Idaho Falls, said the reason for that is layered. Anderson said men tend to use a more “final method,” such as firearms, when attempting suicide.

However, Anderson believes that the stigma surrounding men’s mental health also contributes to that statistic.

“Men can be afraid to admit weakness,” Anderson said. “They don’t want to talk about it. They want to do it all on their own.”

He said many people aren’t ashamed of other health struggles they have, but when it comes to mental health, they feel less than if they admit vulnerabilities. One way Anderson tries to combat stigma surrounding men’s mental health is through his own vulnerabilities.

“I tell my patients that I struggle with mental health, too.” Anderson said. “I have had to ask for help. I have zero shame. I think that helps them open up.”

Anderson said the best thing people can do is to be honest. Talk about wins. Talk about losses. Talk about the highs, and talk about the lows. He said the more open people are about their struggles, the more one realizes that everyone struggles with something.

Following Anderson’s advice is what brought Hale out of his cycle of addiction and struggles with depression. Hale knew he had to be honest about his situation in order to overcome it.

The Rescue Mission was different from any other safe house Hale had been to, and he had been to a lot. Safe houses focused on mental, physical and emotional health. But the Rescue Mission added spiritual health into the equation.

Hale found both “law and grace” while staying at the Rescue Mission. The workers were caring and loving, but they didn’t enable anyone, Hale said.

Hale joined the Rescue Mission’s recovery program. The seven-month course helped him find a job and permanent housing. He also found a mentor from a local church.

Today, Hale is the mission’s director of operations. He uses his story to help the men there overcome their battle with mental health.

He mentioned that over the past few months, he has seen men walk into the shelter who seemed to be struggling with their mental health, but they weren’t talking about it.

“(Men) can be concerned with stigma and they can’t make that connection. It’s heart-breaking,” Hale said. “Someone has told them they are suffering and it’s too hard to accept. They think ‘If I’m labeled this, how am I going to be successful?’”

Everyone struggles with something, he said, it’s just whether they talk about it.

“We have all experienced a mental health crisis in our lives. Whether it’s you or someone you know,” Hale said.

June was Men’s Mental Health Month. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, call or text 988 to reach the suicide hotline. You can also reach out to Ascend Mental Health Center at 208-419-3002 or the Behavioral Health Crisis Center at 208-522-0727.