The Voice of Southwest Louisiana June 2019 Issue

Social media: This is not only a problem
that affects men, but it’s easy to feel as
though others are doing better than
we are because on social media we see
everyone’s holiday celebrations, vacations
and gourmet dinners. When a person
feels that something is lacking in his or
her life, that sadness can pave a direct
path to depression.
Some groups of men feel rejected:
There are very high rates of mental
illness among veterans and gay men.
Some have attributed this to the fact that
these groups of men may feel (whether
it is real or not) rejected by society and
mainstream media.
Sadly, many men quietly struggle with
a mental health issue for long periods
of time without any treatment. Through
thousands of years of male socialization,
certain definitions of what is and isn’t
manly have been created. Rather than
openly discuss problems, the more
“manly” thing to do is “tough it out” on
your own. This is something that is drilled
into male psyches from birth. The term
“man up” does not mean to go talk to
people about your problems and ask for
help. Wanting to be like their male heroes
and likely following the examples men
in their lives set, boys are taught from
an early age to suppress their emotions.
By the time they become adults, many
are unable to properly express any
emotion other than anger. The longer the
condition remains untreated, the more
severe the problem potentially comes.
WHAT ARE OTHER SIGNIFICANT
FACTORS?
Other reasons why depression in men
often remains undiagnosed include:
••
Failure to recognize symptoms: Most
people assume that feeling sad
or emotional are the signs to look
for when diagnosing depression.
However, depression in men often
shows up as irritability, anger,
hostility, risk taking and escaping
behavior.
••
Ignoring or minimizing symptoms
and signs: Many men assume
they will just get over whatever
problems are plaguing them and
end up downplaying the impact the
problem is having on their lives. They
often assume that the problem will
go away on its own.
••
Reluctance to talk about the
problem: Men don’t generally discuss
problems openly with close friends,
so speaking to a mental health
professional about them is even
more unlikely.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO FIX THE
PROBLEM?
The stigma of asking for help must be
eliminated. Given the extremely high
rates of depression and substance abuse
among men, it is clear that mental illness
in the male population requires extra
attention. Perhaps the first step in the
process involves changing the narrative
about what it means to be a man.
While it will take a considerable effort
to undo several millennia of male
socialization, boys need to have it
impressed upon them that reaching out
for help is not a sign of weakness. That
will be difficult, however, considering the
myriad subliminal messages prevalent
throughout our culture; you see these
male depictions in literature, television,
movies, and in sports. The athlete who
“plays through the injury” is always
considered tougher and stronger than
the one who isn’t able to do so. How do
we as a culture on one hand tell our sons
that they should speak up and ask for
help when the majority of the idealized
fictional and real-life men in our culture
are celebrated for not doing so?
Another step our society can take is to
stop normalizing destructive behaviors
in men by explaining it away as “boys
being boys.” This age-old justification
only serves to enable the behavior to
continue. There needs to be increased
attention to the unique needs of males.
The good news is that as male celebrities
and sports figures increasingly share
their experiences with mental illness,
the stigma of seeking treatment should
continue to diminish. Recognition that
mental illness is no different than physical
illness in that it is not a moral failing
or a choice can help people feel more
comfortable with treatment seeking.
There are also now many more options
for men to become aware of and manage
their mental health than in the past.
Downloading a mood tracker (yes…
there’s an app for that) can be a good
first step towards improving awareness
of mental health by helping you notice
patterns or tendencies. It can also help
you take a more objective view of how
you’re doing, allowing you to view
emotions on a longer time scale and less
caught up in the moment.
Taking care of your body is essential, but
remember, your mind matters also. KEEP
IT HEALTHY!
Check out the following links for more info:
Mental Health America
https://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/
infographic-mental-health-men
Men and Mental Health
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/menand-mental-health/index.shtml
Man Therapy
https://www.mantherapy.org/
If you struggling with depression, anxiety or
relationship issues, please call for an appointment:
Carra Sergeant, PhD, LPC
PEACE FROM PIECES COUNSELING SERVICES
For an appointment, call
337-515-6716
Website: peacefrompieces.net
Volume 6 • Number 11 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM June 2019 21