The Importance of Men’s Mental Health

Growing up, I was blessed to have a father who was present, a good provider, and loved us. My dad was a dentist, but previously, before his dental career, he was a WestPoint candidate and a World War II paratrooper. My father went to deprogramming, as labeled after World War II, in another country before returning home to the United States. My father, I had no doubt, suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder but, in later life, showed symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. My father, even though he was a dentist and a healthcare provider, very much came from a background as a man where he was expected to just pull himself up by the proverbial bootstraps and “soldier on through difficult times,” (Davis, 1) just like he had been trained for combat. I truly believe that if my father had felt permission to get help and process much of his trauma and emotions around combat exposure, as well as other childhood traumas, he would have had a much easier time later.

In most of Western society, men are often expected to be “strong and in control” (Mental Health Foundation, 2), and while this is not a bad thing, it can make it more difficult for men to access the help they need.

Because of the stigma around men’s mental health as well as being culturally conditioned to keep most observations around one’s feelings internally, “men may also be more likely to use potentially harmful coping methods such as drugs or alcohol and less likely to talk to family or friends” (Mental Health Foundation, 2).

Studies have shown that when dealing with depression, men tend to use coping skills that women normally do not employ. Like women with depression, men may “feel sad, hopeless or empty, feel extremely tired, have difficulty sleeping, sleep too much, or not get pleasure from activities usually enjoyed” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 3). However, men can engage readily in workaholic behaviors, spending a great deal of time with sports, physical symptoms such as stomach aches and headaches, problems with substance use, controlling or violent behavior, abusive behavior, anger, and rage and risky behavior all the while asking why they are struggling (Mayo Clinic Staff, 3).

Even those of us who are men are not alone; it is a sign of strength to ask for the help we need. A mental health care professional can help you set realistic goals for your life, provide support, help with healthy coping strategies, and help you make difficult decisions and healthy choices. We men have found that seeing a therapist is easy to access, meaningful, and an engaging process (Mental Health Foundation, 2) that helps us to more easily address the key areas of our lives, for example, our relationships, physical, mental, and spiritual health, what we can give to others, our careers and finances, our leisure time, and our self-care (Strack, 4).

In the New Year, make your health and your life a priority by asking to see someone today.

References

1. Joshua Davis.  2023.  Breaking the Stigma of Men’s Mental Health.  Butler Hospital.  https://www.butler.org/blog/breaking-the-stigma-of-mens-mental-health.   

2. Mental Health Foundation.  2021.  Men and Mental Health.  https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/men-and-mental-health

3. Mayo Clinic Staff.  Male depression:  Understanding the issues.  2022.  Mayo Clinic.  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/male-depression/art-20046216?p=1

4. Rainer Strack & Susanne Dyrchs & Allison Bailey.  2023.  Use Strategic Thinking to Create the Life You Want.  Harvard Business Review.  https://hbr.org/2023/12/use-strategic-thinking-to-create-the-life-you-want 

Written by: Bo Majors, LCSW

Therapy for Men at Austin Anxiety and OCD Specialists

Bo has a special interest in supporting men facing stressors, anxiety, and OCD. Bo is accepting clients at our Round Rock office and for teletherapy. For more information about Bo’s availability or to schedule an appointment please call 512-246-7225 or visit our client portal.