Welcome to another installment of Emelia on the Brain, where Emelia talks about topics in mental health that we all should be talking about.
You have probably heard that the suicide rate amongst men is astronomically higher than that of women. This is true: the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reports that men died by suicide 3.63x more often than women in 2019, and white males accounted for 69.38% of suicides in 2019. Men seem to struggle with mental health the most yet they seldom get the professional help that they need.
The stigma surrounding their mental health and the constant pressure to be masculine is mainly to blame. From a young age, men are taught showing their emotions takes away from their ability to be a man. They are taught that they are not supposed to cry ultimately leading to men bottling up their feelings. When their negative feelings turn into depression or other mental disorders, they feel as if they cannot seek help. And then it becomes too late.
To put it simply, men are still human. Bottling up their emotions is still detrimental, and crying is necessary sometimes.
There is plenty that we can do to support the men in our lives and break the toxic cycle of these unhealthy teachings. We can check in on the men in our life and ask, “How are you, really?” It is possible that no one else in their life is really asking them that. We can openly resent the male stereotypes that are commonly forced upon them and teach our future children differently. We can encourage them to discuss their feelings and seek professional help when applicable.
By switching our own words and attitudes, we can inspire the men in our lives to embrace a healthier mindset when it comes to mental health.