Men’s Mental Health: Ending the Stigma
Written by Michael Smock, LSW
Mental Health in our Society
Mental health and its importance are increasingly becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society, and rightfully so. One in five people (almost 43 million) in the United States experience mental illness each year (National Alliance on Mental Illness [NAMI], n.d.; Chatmon, 2020). Roughly 43 million people. That’s the entire population of California plus several million more.
With mental health struggles being so common in our society, we still have a long way to go to make the topic and practice of mental health care a priority and to remove the stigma of seeking support for mental health struggles, particularly for male-identifying individuals.
Historically, many men have been raised and socialized in ways that prioritize behaviors and values of stoicism, mental and physical strength, and stability. These values are not inherently negative, but they can have costly effects on men and their mental health when taken to the extreme.
According to Mental Health America (n.d.) more than 6 million men in the United States suffer from depression and more than 4 times as many men as women die by suicide every year. Additionally, “1 in 10 men experience depression or anxiety but less than half will receive treatment” (Anxiety & Depression Association of America [ADAA], 2024).
These statistics are deeply troubling, and the reasons why men avoid seeking help when grappling with mental illness are numerous. One major reason for this is due to the fear of stigmatization - the fear of being perceived as “weak”, “different”, or an “outsider” (McKenzie et. al, 2022). When society puts you in a “box” from a young age, it can be difficult to step out of that box without fearing backlash, stigmatization, and ridicule for being anything other than the stereotypical, strong, hypermasculine male.
Ending the stigma - What can we do?
In their review of the existing literature on men’s mental health and the stigma associated with it, McKenzie et. al (2022) found several actionable, “de-stigmatizing strategies” that men used to minimize the stigma they felt around their mental health or diagnosis. These included finding peer support, learning more about mental health, and reframing what it means to have a mental illness/diagnosis and asking for help.
Peer Support
With our technological advancements providing us with an abundance of social media and video-connecting apps, it can be as easy as a few taps on your smartphone or computer to find a support network, community, or peer, whether it's in person or online. And if you can’t find a peer group already established - you can create one!
Some apps/websites that can help you find and create in-person/online peer support groups or communities are Facebook, Meetup, Discord, or Reddit*. There are so many options nowadays. And of course, nothing beats the “old-fashioned” way of naturally meeting people in person at events and get-togethers. Still, some may find that remaining anonymous affords more mental and physical comfort while trying to find a support system they can trust, in which case, the latter two options may be worth looking into.
If you are comfortable doing so, joining a therapeutic support group is also a great option. If you have a therapist, feel free to ask them about groups that they know of and can refer you to.
Learning More
Learning something new can, at times, feel overwhelming. But, like learning anything for the first time, I’d encourage you to take it slow - however that may look for you. One step, one chapter, one podcast, one conversation at a time.
Where does one start to learn about mental health and mental illness? You reading a blog post like this one! Additionally, many websites can be helpful in this regard, two of which have been mentioned previously: the National Alliance of Mental Illness and Mental Health America. Depending on what you may be experiencing personally (symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, for example) can help narrow down what you might be interested in learning more about.
Your local library may offer great book options on mental health such as self-help ones on how you the reader, can cope with different symptoms or diagnoses, memoirs of individuals who have lived experience with a particular mental health diagnosis, and much more. Many educational podcasts out there can also be helpful in your learning journey.
Reframing
Also known as “cognitive restructuring”, a concept stemming from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (peep the last blog post!), reframing is the act of critically analyzing a thought that is causing us distress or discomfort, and reframing it in a way that’s more neutral or positive which then elicits more neutral or positive feelings within us.
When we have thoughts such as “I’m weak because I have…(depression/anxiety/trauma reactions)”, “No one will understand me”, or “If I ask for help that means I’m not man enough/strong enough”, we fall deeper into the pit of fear, isolation, and shame.
By reframing these thoughts, we can start to look at mental health struggles from more of a compassionate lens. For example, let’s take a look at what happens when we reframe each of the thoughts above:
“I’m weak because I have depression/anxiety/trauma reactions” becomes “Even though I have depression/anxiety/etc., that doesn’t mean I’m weak. This just means that I’m human”
“No one will understand me” becomes “I haven’t given people the chance yet to understand me. They probably would if I told them about how I’m feeling”
“If I ask for help that means I’m not man enough/strong enough” becomes “Asking for help is a form of self-respect and is a strength”
If reframing your thoughts is difficult at first, that’s completely normal. It’s tough to do! Something that can help with reframing negative or unhelpful thoughts is asking yourself “What would I say to a friend who was thinking/saying this about themselves?”. This can help us take ourselves out of the equation for a moment to be more objective and compassionate, as it is oftentimes easier to have compassion for someone else than it is for ourselves.
For many men, recognizing we need help can be challenging, let alone asking for help which can bring up feelings of shame and guilt. Taking steps to educate oneself on mental health and mental illness, finding or creating a peer support system, and reframing unhelpful thoughts are just a few things one can do to help end the stigma of men’s mental health and asking for help. Remember, one step at a time.
*As with all online and social media activity, please be cautious of the information you share with others on the internet. None of the apps and websites mentioned in this post are endorsed or promoted by Coalta Therapy and Wellness. Please use them with caution and at your own risk.
Blog Sources:
Chatmon, B.N. (2020). Males and mental health stigma. Am J Mens Health. 14(4). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7444121/
McKenzie, S.K., Oliffe, J.L., Black, A., Collings, S. (2022). Men’s experiences of mental illness stigma across the lifespan: A scoping review. American Journal of Men’s Health. 16(1). doi:10.1177/15579883221074789
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/15579883221074789
Mental Health America (n.d.). Infographic: Mental health for men. https://www.mhanational.org/infographic-mental-health-men
National Alliance on Mental Health. (n.d.). Mental health conditions. https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-conditions/
Smith, D.T., Mouzon, D.M., Elliot, M. (2016). Reviewing the assumptions about men’s mental health: An exploration of the gender binary. American Journal of Men’s Health. 12(1):78-89. https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988316630953
Disclaimer: This website is intended for a general audience, for educational and informational purposes only. Visiting the website/blog and viewing its content does not create a therapist/patient relationship between visitors, our therapists, our employees, or Coalta Therapy and Wellness L.L.C. The information on this blog is not, nor is it intended to be, therapy or psychological advice. We are not able to answer questions regarding your specific situation or relationship. Please remember that if you are a current or former patient, your comments or likes may jeopardize your confidentiality. Make sure you consult your physician or mental health provider regarding advice or support for your personal health and wellbeing. If you are in crisis, call your local 24-hour hotline or 911.
