Become aware of the stereotypes attached to males and depression
Depression is a mental illness that all humans are capable of being a victim to. However, according to statistics on a variety of mental health websites, it is common knowledge that women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than men. Depression aside, women are more likely to be diagnosed with any sort of mental illness than men, while men are more likely to develop substance abuse problems.
However, an issue with these findings, which has been addressed by organizations such as the National Institute of Mental Health, is that men are less likely than women to report minor health symptoms, and are also less likely to seek medical help in the first place.
This is where the statistics are flawed – in numbers, more women suffer from depression than men, however, women are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness than men because men are less likely to seek help and to admit to symptoms such as poor sleep, lack of appetite, or just feelings of sadness.
According to an article published by the American Psychological Association, one of the main problems surrounding men and depression is that men who feel threatened by gender-role conflicts view mental health as something that is feminine. These men are less likely to seek medical help because they feel emasculated doing so.
This is a real issue, and one that dates back centuries. Throughout history, and the origins of patriarchy, women have been depicted as emotional beings, while men as rational beings. As a result, women were encouraged to express their emotions and men were discouraged. It is stereotypically viewed as “weak” for men to cry, although expressing anger is viewed as a masculine trait – interestingly enough, anger is considered a common male symptom of depression.
These stereotypes have played a strong role in European history, and are still alive and prominent today. Due to centuries of being discouraged from expressing emotions – particularly sadness – men still have a difficult time today admitting to symptoms of depression and accepting that they may be suffering from a mental illness. Depression is associated with being a feminine illness, and, as a result, increasing numbers of men are suffering from depression and are completely oblivious to it.
It is extremely saddening to think that a large part of our population grows up repressing emotions because they feel as if it’s socially unacceptable to cry or express discontent. In North America in particular, it is an issue that needs to be addressed as more and more male soldiers return from the Middle East and suffer from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression. The stigma attached to mental illness makes it harder for these soldiers to be accepted within society and to seek help.
Most of us can relate to not wanting to get out of bed in the morning. However, not all of us are likely to discuss those feelings. It is our job as a growing generation to end the stigma attached to mental health, and to encourage humans of all genders to express themselves.