RISE Blog | The Stigma Around Men's Mental Health

By: Roman Konopa, Peer Educator
June 20th, 2023

Content warning: Suicidal ideation, self-harm, and detailed mental health topics

​June is Men's Mental Health Awareness Month, which means reaching out to your male-identifying friends and letting them know you're here for them. Check up on one another and check up on yourself. Men's mental health is often overlooked, and the ignorant stigma that mental health shows flaws that need to be broken.

We need to talk about men's mental health more!

In recent years, mental health has become more involved, rightfully, in the discussion about health and wellness. Many recognize how to spot signs of poor mental health and suicidal ideation and what to do when encountering these traits, yet men's mental health is still not talked about quite as much as the general promotion of mental well-being. Men are often overlooked when it comes to the conversation of promoting therapy and other resources to improve our well-being.

As a man, I can admit that in our upbringing we're often told to be the strong one in our platonic/romantic relationships, whether that be putting on a brave face or never acknowledging that most of us face depression at least once in our life. I'm here to tell you that being upset about something, getting diagnosed with a mental health issue, or reaching out for help does not make you any less masculine or less of a man. Because of this stigma, there are far more women that report their mental health issues in comparison to men, and this makes it seem that one gender deserves better mental health treatment than the other. There's a lot of things that men deal with that are typically not backed up by the rest of society, and that's something we need to change!

Cultural and environmental factors can affect a man's perception of his masculinity and strength. Why is it that poor mental health is seen as feminine? Everyone of any gender experiences mental health ups and downs. When it comes to mental illness, it's seen as weakness rather than just an obstacle. Because of this, men have a hard time admitting that they need help. Think about it, though: admitting you need some assistance improving your mental health and then taking the initiative to ask for that help is one of the strongest, respectable things you can do for yourself.

Why does not talking about it make it worse?

​The more we try to avoid talking about men's mental health, the more men feel isolated and alone. Symptoms of depression and anxiety are already heavy enough, so feeling invalidated and less important than others will only worsen this. Toxic masculinity also plays a role. Toxic masculinity is an attitude or set of social guidelines stereotypically associated with manliness that often have a negative impact on men, women, and society in general (WebMD, 2022).

​This idea of toxic masculinity has been described as a double-edged sword (Duran, 2021). Men being raised to be resilient and strong discourages them from acknowledging they need help, and this only increases the rates of depression in men. Untreated depression worsens or is treated with unhealthy strategies, such as substance abuse or a development of another mental illness. Because of this, it's super important to trust your mind and body and recognize when you need help and where to go for said help.

Recognizing signs of suicidal ideation

​Someone that is having suicidal ideations will act off from their usual self. This person might suddenly stop being as active in their friendships and relationships, and usually isn't the first person to text anymore. They're barely reaching out and aren't agreeing to plans, spending a lot of time by themselves; this might include calling out of work or other obligations as well.They might consider getting rid of or giving away belongings that were once super important to them, like a family heirloom or a collection they own. Creating a will or a plan to die is arguablythe most obvious sign, but still important to understanding how blatant these thoughts can be.

Aside from social aspects, physical traits like constant fatigue and changes in tone might also be signs. A lack of interest in hobbies they once loved may resemble sudden lack of motivation, same with eating or sleeping dramatically more or less. Some might use alcohol or drugs to cope, which is an avoidant strategy and isn't healthy at all. Statistically, men are more likely to develop a substance use disorder than women and have more drug and alcohol dependencies as well (Duran, 2021). Reckless driving and extreme mood swings are just another couple to name.

How to help prevent suicide

​If you feel that your male friend (or anyone, really) may be experiencing suicidal ideation, the best way to know for sure is to directly ask.

Here are some examples on how to ask:

• “Do you want to kill yourself?”
• “Are you feeling suicidal?”
• “Do you want to end your life?”

​Someone is more likely to be honest about their feelings when asked straight-up, rather than beating around the bush with more broad questions.

Here are some examples of how not to ask if someone is contemplating suicide:

• “Are you okay?”
• “How are you feeling?”
• “What's wrong?”

While these questions are still great to ask if someone is showing signs of depression, it's not likely that someone will honestly answer that they are or are not experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Free and low-cost resources in the Texas Tech community

Lubbock and especially on the Texas Tech campus has many free and low-cost resources for therapy practices. The Student Counseling Center is free, the Psychology Clinic offers sessions for less than twenty dollars each, and the Family and Marriage Counseling Center also offers low-cost sessions. There is also a low-cost general therapy clinic in Lubbock called Family Counseling Services. Make sure you call as soon as you decide you're wanting therapy!

You are not alone

​As stated in all our blogs, it's always nice to reiterate that RISE is here for you. We are trained in crisis support or just giving mental health advice in general. If you ever need a friend to talk to, or if you'd like advice on how to help a struggling friend, let us know. We have all the resources you might need, and if we don't—we know someone that does.

References

Duran, A. 2021. How mental health stigma impacts men. Sage Neuroscience Center. 

National Runaway Safeline. Mental health stigma in men. 2022. National Runaway Safeline. 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Warning signs of suicide. National Institute of Mental Health.

Vallie, S. 2022. What Is Toxic Masculinity?WebMD. 

 

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