Let’s Talk about Men’s Mental Health
In their 2018 report, the WHO emphasizes that cultural stigma surrounding mental health is one of the main reasons people do not admit that they are struggling and seeking help, this stigmatization is particularly targeted at men.
While mental health is often a taboo topic for men and women alike, men find it much harder to speak up about their struggles, fearing what society and their peers would think of them.
Impacts of stigmatizing men’s mental health
Sometimes something as simple as talking to a loved one about how you feel can make you feel much better, but unfortunately some men feel like they don’t have that option. 16% of men admitted they were hesitant to speak up about their mental health because they didn’t want to seem weak, while 29% didn’t want to speak up about it because of its stigma.
The main reason for the stigma around men’s mental health is toxic masculinity
Traditionally, men were seen as strong and macho, barely talking about their feelings or wellbeing. Not only was this wrong earlier, but it’s also completely outdated in this day and age.
The media we consume largely affects our behaviour and our views on several topics. Several shows and movies show their male characters as aggressive and closed off, and often laughing at their sensitive male counterparts.
This portrayal of toxic masculinity affects many young minds and has many different psychological impacts one of which is the persistence of stigma that continues to surround the conversation around men’s mental health.
What can we do?
Break the cycle: Educate the next generation about the importance of mental health, regardless of gender.
Reach out: Check-in on your male relatives and friends, make sure they know that it’s okay not to be okay and you’ll always be there for them.
Speak up: There shouldn’t be just 1 month everyone decides to speak up about men’s mental health, it should be every day, all around the year.
Please seek help if you need it, talk to someone you can trust or get professional help, mental health always comes first, no matter your gender.