*TRIGGER WARNING* This article discusses mental health, depression, and suicide in men.
June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, which often flies under the radar because, as a society, it seems we have taught ourselves to believe that boys will be boys and girls will be girls. This means men are strictly strong and stoic and push things down until they do not exist. On the other hand, girls can be emotional, lean on their friends, and talk about therapy because it is a brave thing to do.
Men’s mental health awareness is an important topic people of all genders, ages, and races must discuss more openly and frequently. While the stigma surrounding mental health becomes smaller as the years pass, we have failed to recognize how much these issues affect men daily.
That is why Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month is so important. It’s a time to inform others about the unique challenges men face regarding mental health. Instead of ignoring it, we should face it head-on and encourage men to seek help when they need it.
Many men learn from a young age to be a man, toughen up, and never show emotions. While that seemed to “work” for many years, it is not a sustainable way for men to continue living life.
Suppose you do not believe men need mental health help as much as people are saying. In that case, I challenge you to read about the studies of the loneliness epidemic affecting them and the facts and statistics surrounding the study.
An infographic by Mental Health America provides the most jarring statistic of them all regarding the topic of suicide. MHA states, “More than four times as many men die by suicide in the U.S. In 2010, 38,364 Americans died by suicide, and over three-quarters (79%) of these suicides were men.”
As a country, we live with the hope that this statistic should be lower each year, but the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention reports that as of 2021, 48,183 Americans died by suicide, and men were 3.90 times more likely to die by suicide than women. So when we see articles, social media posts, and news outlets promoting Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, remember these statistics.
It is essential to raise awareness about men’s mental health.
Men are taught to be stoic and not share the truth of their struggles. They learn to be ashamed of speaking up about their mental health, leading to a lack of treatment or support. We teach men that boys will be boys and should focus solely on physical fitness and ignore their mental health. They learn to live under the notion that they are supposed to be the sole providers for their families. If they aren’t, they are worthless.
It’s time we recognize that men struggle with emotions, have a right to access therapy, and should not feel judged or looked at differently for taking such a brave step. If we can do this for one man in each of our lives, the world can slowly become a better and more inclusive place.
Sources:
- https://afsp.org/suicide-statistics/
- https://www.mhanational.org/infographic-mental-health-men
- Feature Image by rayul on Unsplash
