MEN'S HEALTH
WHY DON'T MEN
ASK FOR HELP?
Suicide and substance abuse rates
are higher in men—and rates of
mental health service use are lower.
Coincidence?
Typically, men are less likely to
visit their primary doctor than
women and even less likely to take
care of their mental health needs.
Many researchers have concluded that
there is an increased rate of various
mental health issues amongst men,
and without proper attention this
problem could continue to persist.
Included in these mental health
issues are higher rates of depression,
substance abuse and suicide. This
coupled with low rates of mental
health service use is troubling and
often intersects with other factors
that can lead to higher rates in certain
sub-groups.
SUICIDE
Men make up over 75% of suicide
victims in the United States, with one
man killing himself every 20 minutes.
There are many reasons that factor
into this statistic, one being that there
has been a steep decline in male dominated
industries such as manufacturing.
This has led to large populations
of men in certain areas becoming
under- employed or unemployed.
An inability to find enough work or
a job in-line with education and skill
sets, can leave individuals without a
sense of pride and can lead to depression.
Very high rates of suicide have been
observed in sub-groups such as veterans,
young American Indians and
gay men. A common factor amongst
these groups is feelings of isolation
from mainstream society. Whether
perceived or real, these feelings can
contribute to feelings of loneliness
and sadness.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Substance abuse has also been
attributed as a largely male issue,
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