6 Common Barriers in Men Seeking Mental Health Support

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The outward effects of mental illness can often be dismissed as a sign of weakness or personal failure.

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For men, this type of social stereotyping can be especially hard to escape—being told to “man up” is a common refrain that can be reductive and stigmatizing.

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According to the National Center for Health Statistics, men are nearly four times more likely to die by suicide than women.

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This is true across all races, with middle-aged white men in the lead.

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A true picture of mental health in America is hard to determine as men are significantly less likely than women to ask for help or seek treatment.

Men May Struggle to Define and Express Their Mental Health Challenges

Generally, men and women experience mental health disorders differently.

According to research first published in the American Journal of Men’s Health, women are more likely to experience internalized symptoms, like depression and anxiety.

While men tend to experience more externalized symptoms, like aggression and violent outbursts, substance abuse and addiction, antisocial or oppositional defiant disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Men Are More Likely to Self-Medicate Before Seeking Help

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, men are more likely than women to misuse illicit drugs, including illegal and prescription drugs.

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