What causes mental health issues in men?

Men’s mental health in the UK is an epidemic. Some reports suggest that nearly 50% of men have experienced poor mental health at some point in their life. Approximately 1 in 6 men in England have a diagnosed mental health issue. This then leads onto the most concerning statistic. 3 in 4 suicides in the UK are men. Failure to support men’s mental health isn’t simply an issue that can wait. It is an emergency that needs immediate attention. To do this, we have to look int what is causing these issues amongst men and how we can address them.

How do mental health issues affect men?

The issue of mental health issues in men can sometimes be complex, and this comes down to historical factors and perception. For centuries, men have been depicted and considered as warriors, hunters when women are seen as the gatherers. This has resulted in an attitude of presenting strength through stoicism and isolation. This is especially concerning when it comes to mental health where it isn’t as obvious as a physical ailment. It isn’t something you can walk off or go to doctor to seek an obvious form of treatment. It requires honesty and vulnerability. It requires patience and understanding.

Due to the expectations of society, many men ignore the option of professional support for their mental health, instead seeking to manage the burden themselves. This leads to additional stress, anxiety and fear that people perceive them as weak and then this creates a vicious cycle leading to depression that can be difficult to manage and very often leads to suicide.

Why do men hide their mental health struggles

Due to the established perception of men, a stigma has developed around men seeking mental health support or being open. Ultimately, this has led to a stigma around men being honest regarding their emotions and refusing to seek support for their mental health. This is in combination with deeper issues that include the following:

Fear of judgement from others

This comes back to the previously mentioned stigma associated with men’s mental health and vulnerability. The idea of men being reliable, strong stalwarts of a family unit and negative perceptions of honesty and vulnerability being seen as feminine traits has led many men to perceive seeking help as a sign of weakness. This is clearly demonstrated when looking at the statistics for talking therapy referrals, where women made up 66.5% of the referrals as opposed to 33.5% of men.

Lack of experience in being open

Learned behaviours from elders around them, whether it be parents or guardians, grandparents, siblings, teachers or other formative male role models leads to boys growing up and developing in these environments to follow suit and remain closed off. To some, this can be incorrectly identified as a sign of strength, to carry a burden themselves. This can be seen from studies where it has been found that 40% of men in the UK have never spoken to anyone about their mental health. This is quickly followed by the fact that:

• 29% of those men say they are too embarrassed to speak about it

• 20% believe there is a negative stigma

• 36% say they don’t to be a burden to others

• 16% don’t want to admit they need support

Conditioning and media perception

Much in the same way many men will have learned behaviours from those around them when growing up, they will have also developed perceptions on masculinity and stoicism from media depictions of men. From action films to westerns and some genres of music, many men will have been in contact with the architype of the ‘strong and silent type’.

When this idea is reinforced by popular culture, the easiest thing might seem to be go along with the zeitgeist, not realising the harm it may be having on you in the long run. Once someone has fallen victim to this type of conditioning, it can be difficult to break through the perception and encourage a person to seek help when they need it.

Warning signs of poor mental health in men

Whilst the signs of poor mental health in men might not be as obvious due to the aforementioned stigma and attitudes of carrying the burden themselves, there are telltale identifiers to keep an eye out for.

1. Withdrawn and isolated

When men are struggling with their mental health, in particular with things such as anxiety and depression, they can become noticeably distant and withdrawn. They may not be as actively involved in social activities and when they are, they are not actively participating in the social event. This could be due to low-mood, fear of social situations due to increased anxiety, lack of sleep causing low energy and focus levels or simply a loss of interest in thins they used to enjoy.

2. Anger, irritability and mood swings

One thing that has not been addressed in in men’s mental health and the associated stigma is the ability to handle negative stress and emotions when mental health is declining. The lack of understanding around managing poor mental health and the lack of support caused by the associated stigma can manifest in increased aggression, extreme lows and unexpected outbursts.

As men are trying to juggle and manoeuvre through their complicated feelings with a lack o support, it can result in frustration, confusion and irritability. This becomes further emphasised if their understanding of masculinity comes from depictions in the media of fighters (i.e. boxers, MMA fighters, action heroes, soldiers, etc.)

3. Poor habits and dangerous behaviour

The lack of understanding men might have round poor mental health and how to manage it can often result in forms of self-medicating and a lack of self-regard. This is especially true regarding substance abuse. It has been found that men are more likely to become alcohol dependent than women as well as more likely to use and die from illegal drug use.

This might be to numb their feelings, on block out negative thoughts, but they are also more likely to engage in activities with a high-risk to themselves. This might be a willingness to get into physical altercations due to increased aggression and irritability in combination with a lack of regard for their wellbeing. There may be no reward, but in their mind, they might see these dangerous behaviours as a temporary solution or even as a way to feel something that isn’t necessarily a negative emotion or numbness.

What are the risk factors of poor mental health in men?

As we have established, men’s mental health currently poses a huge risk to the male population in the UK. Suicide is now the leading cause of death amongst men under the age of 50 in the UK. The risk is incredibly significant, which is why greater efforts need to be made to combat poor male mental health.

Alongside this however for those who thankfully do not take their own lives, there are other risks involved. It can result in a decline in physical wellbeing as someone experiences a lack of sleep, comfort eats unhealthy food, loses interest in self-care and exercise or as we have mentioned, increases their rate of substance abuse.

Poor mental health in men is not an isolated issue either, it can have a wider impact on those around them. Due to a possible increase in aggression levels or substance, they may become abusive to those around them as they become more and more frustrated and disassociated. This is not to take responsibility from these men, but I can breed a cycle of violence and abuse as they feel greater shame for their actions, feel more frustrated and have no outlet due to their refusal to seek support. The impact of declining men’s mental health can be felt across a variety of sectors in life and across the globe.

Common mental health issues in men

Whilst men experience a wide range of mental health issues, some of the more common issues might not differ dramatically to those that women experience. The difference lies in the way that those issues are managed. Due to the lack understanding around mental health issues in men, the associated issues manifest themselves in different ways that have a significant impact. Here are some of the primary examples:

Stress

Like any other person, regardless of gender, men will experience stress. This could be brought on by relationship troubles, financial struggles, unexpected life events, a myriad of things. With men however, feelings of stress can also be brought on by an inability to manage their emotions, mood and a lack of support for their mental health struggles. This constant battle of isolation and the lack of an outlet for mental health support means consistently high levels of stress, with no sign of relief. This can quickly manifest itself in burnout, further isolation and a spiral towards anxiety and depression.

Anxiety

Feelings of anxiety can be brought on by the world around, the news cycle, upcoming events, socialising, work commitments to name a few. These feelings can also be brought on due to feeling trapped, unable to escape and not meeting expectations. This is why so many men struggle with anxiety, with close to a third of men in the UK reporting high levels of anxiety. Facing social scenarios and having to put on a brave face to overcome the stigma surrounding mental health and showing emotion can have a huge impact on a man’s mental health and a huge increase in the amount of anxiety they experience.

Depression

Persistent mental health struggles and feelings of isolation can result in feelings of depression. The issue here lies in the fact that depression in combination with societal expectations can result in a self-sustaining vicious cycle. When men are struggling with feelings of worthlessness and vulnerability, they may not want to discuss it with male peers due to fear of judgement or the response they’ll receive.

This causes them to retreat further into themselves, ignore the feelings or manage them individually through substance abuse and more. This pattern leads directly to feeling trapped and eventually suicide, as is reflected by the rate of men who attempt suicide in comparison to women.

Treatment and prevention

The treatment and prevention methods for declining mental health might seem simple and straight forward as they will often be the same methods recommended to women. The issue however comes down to the stigma and view of men’s mental health.

One of the primary thing’s men need when it comes to mental health treatment is overcoming the stigma associated with the norms of masculinity and the fear of judgement. This means that there is a need for patience, understanding and security.

Feelings of security can be cultivated with through secure support channels such as a confidential counselling helpline, where men feel comfortable their feelings won’t be shared, will be understood and respected as they should be. It may also come in the form of community. Not wanting to feel alone and knowing there are other men struggling with their mental health can be what helps men overcome the stigma. This can be seen in groups such as Andy’s Man Club, a men’s suicide prevention charity. It focuses on peer-to-peer support across the UK, letting men know they aren’t alone whilst getting the support they might desperately need.

How to support those with poor mental health

It can be difficult to support men with poor mental health. They might initially be reluctant to admit that they are struggling. They might reject the help in the name of not being a burden. But being there for them and assuring them that their feelings are valid are the first step in supporting them. Offering them a safe and secure environment to open and be honest is key. To begin with, it might simply be a case of listening and allowing them to air their feelings before offering solutions and advice, instead offering understanding and concern.

This allows them to know and understand that there are people who they can turn to, people they can trust and understand that they are not alone. This type of support also requires consistency. For this reason, regular check-ups are also advised. This doesn’t need to be a clinical approach to support. It can be as simple as just a quick check-in, asking a person how they are, a quick message or call, just to let them know there is someone they can turn to.

Once these simple steps have been done and the door to support has been opened through security and trust, you can then begin signposting men to more professional support if necessary. This might be letting them know about a counselling service, informing them of support groups directing them to professional resources. Doing this does not mean you are absolved of any and all support giving responsibilities. It is still incredibly important to regularly check in with men who are struggling and being there for them when they need the support of someone they trust.

What can I do if I’m worried about my mental health?

If you are a man and are struggling with your mental health and do not know where to turn for support, there are resources you can use to aid you. It might involve turning to your GP who can conduct an assessment and direct you to the relevant support or even prescribe medication if necessary. If your workplace is causing you stress, leading to a deterioration in your mental health, you can speak to your line manager, or if available, utilise your Employee Assistance Programme if available.

How can an Employee Assistance Programme can help

If men are struggling with their mental health and are unsure where to turn for reliable, secure support, they can access 24/7 counselling from accredited experts, 365-days a year with HA | Wisdom Wellbeing’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). Using a secure and confidential helpline which can be accessed when convenient and will connect users with wellbeing experts trained on a host of topics is an invaluable form of support.

As well as this, thousands of wellbeing resources to support with both physical and mental wellbeing are available exclusively to HA | Wisdom Wellbeing EAP users on the Wisdom app.

If there are mental health concerns in the workplace, organisations and their leadership teams can also access qualified Mental Health First Aid training to support and signpost those who need support.

Conclusion

Men’s mental health is an ongoing battle and needs all the support necessary to combat it and prevent further tragedies. This means overcoming the stigma of men’s mental health support, the hurdles of toxic masculinity and providing the necessary support networks, in and out of the workplace.