Barriers for men to seek help on health matters

CULTURE has done an extreme job in making men believe that for them, vulnerability is equal to weakness and failure.

From the moment of birth, regardless of gender, people are exposed to stereotypes such as a baby girl wrapped in a pink blanket instead of blue, or gifting a toy car instead of a doll for the boys. Stereotypes are rooted in our culture.

“Boys don’t cry, and men do not shed tears”, (Goodey, 1997) is associated with the African culture about what society expects from men in typical chaotic or challenging situations.

Boys do not cry and a man never backs down from a fight. It is important to note that men are not identical.

There are a wide range of factors which influence a man’s decision to seek help and beliefs about help seeking.

For example, endorsement of masculine ideals such as endurance is associated with lower intention to seek help.

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The social and cultural expectations make men think of themselves as risk-takers, thus leading to the probability of engaging more in risky behaviours that could lead to mental illness. (Apalkova et al, 2018)

The supposed environmental pressures have been proposed to be one of the major causes of men’s premature death and have predisposed them to engage in unhealthy behaviours such as risky sexual behaviour, alcohol use and abuse, high-risk sports, reckless driving which is detrimental to their mental health.

Data has shown that while more and more men are seeking support for their mental health, they are doing so at much lower rates than women.

One study found that male leaders who pursued help in the workplace were evaluated to be less competent than male leaders who do not seek help.

A wide range of factors can influence men’s decisions to seek help, including beliefs about masculine ideals, as well as structural barriers such as finances, knowledge and availability of appropriate services.

The external effects of mental illness can often be let go as a sign of weakness or personal catastrophe.

For men, this type of social stereotyping can be hard to escape. Being told to “man up” is a common chorus that can be stigmatising.

According to the World Health Organisation, men are nearly four times more likely to die by suicide than women.

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

Moreover, in addition to that, depression in men can often be overlooked or misdiagnosed since symptoms can differ from women’s notably angrier and aggressive tendencies.

What keeps men from seeking mental health support has deep roots in both traditional gender roles and societal attitudes about masculinity.

Men may struggle to explain or 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 internal symptoms, like depression and anxiety, while men have a tendency of experiencing more external symptoms, like aggression and violent occurrences, substance abuse and addiction, antisocial and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

This tendency towards more aggressive symptoms have led men and medical professionals alike to either not recognise or discount these behaviours as symptoms of mental illness.

Several studies, however, have suggested that the traditionally “masculine symptoms” of addiction and anger actually share the same underlying causes as traditionally “feminine” depression and anxiety.

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

The classic models of masculinity, tough cowboys, soldiers and warriors are known for their aggressiveness, a disciplined refusal to complain about their ailments, superior physical strength for man’s work, and an enduring approach to interpersonal relationships.

These traditional stereotypes may contribute to the barrier against many men’s willingness to seek treatment for mental health issues.

A 2011 study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behaviour found that men with strong beliefs about traditional masculinity were half as likely as those with more moderate masculine beliefs to seek preventive health care check-ups that could help detect preventable diseases.

Men who buy into traditionally masculine stereotypes also have a much higher likelihood of holding negative attitudes about seeking mental health services.

Race also plays a role in this regard. In addition to anger and aggressive behaviour, the most common symptoms associated with mental health disorders in men, may include depression, increased fatigue, irritability, unwillingness to socialise or anxiety about socialising, loss of interest in work or hobbies, and sleep disturbances.

In recent years, research has looked more closely at how men show symptoms of depression and other forms of mental illness.

Despite the increase in help-seeking, we know men are more likely to attend relatively few support sessions and prematurely discontinue treatment.

This suggests the need to enhance service offering to men who are unwell, plus additional focus on help-giving by those in a position to reach out and provide service.

Men are also more likely to seek help if they are unemployed, older and separated, widowed, divorced.

However, these factors are significantly influenced by socio-economic status and ethnicity.

• Shailet Mazula is studying towards a Masters degree in counselling psychology with the Great Zimbabwe University. She writes here in her personal capacity.