Unlike last blog, today we’ll take a deeper look on how mental health affects men. Now ladies the same rule will apply to you. That said, I encourage you to stay tuned throughout the entirety of this blog in hopes that you’ll see mental health from a men’s perspective. Men are viewed as strong beings that are incapable of being hurt. When in reality we all know it’s quite the opposite (not directed as in insult btw). They’ve been told as kids that crying and showcasing their emotions makes them weak and because of that their feelings are genuinely looked down upon.
“National Institute of Mental Heath” states, Mental disorders affect men and women. The prevalence of several mental disorders is lower in men than in women. However, other disorders are diagnosed at comparable rates for men and women or at higher rates for men, like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Men are also more likely to die by suicide than women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
As mentioned above ADHD contributes to men’s health challenges. That said, let’s discuss some of the things men with ADHD may struggle with and how it correlates to poor mental health. They often face challenges with chronic issues with work performance, higher rates of substance abuse, and emotional regulation. Work performance issues such as difficulty with focus and attention can lead to many missed deadlines, unfinished projects and frequent mistakes which ultimately can destroy men’s self esteem further resulting in depression. Other factors include challenges with time management and organization making it harder to prioritize tasks, stay organized, and job instability. Higher rates of substance abuse such as self medication is used as a coping mechanism to quickly treat their emotional distress. With limited outlets to release their emotions society has normalized using harsh substances to process their feelings. Emotional regulation challenges such as intense mood swings is a common occurrence for men with ADHD. Another common accurate is struggles with relationships. Emotional dis-regulation makes it difficult to maintain friendships, romantic relationships, and professional connections. This emotional barrier leaves most men closed off and feeling disregarded causing depression and a decrease in mental well being.
Another attribute correlating to poor mental health in men is suicide. Some factors include: societal expectations and financial stress. Societal expectations discourage men from seeking help resulting in untreated depression and suicidal thoughts. Just as women have been perceived as independent and able to achieve all tasks on their own so have men. All the gender norms have created a culture where men feel unable to express themselves without being let down. Financial stress commonly occurs periodically creating a stressful environment. Without proper treatment these challenges compound creating a long-term mental health decline. This corrupt stigma around seeking help prevents men around the world from seeking the support they need. Just as the other blog, I hope that Ethan and Vince will be able to portray the harsh realities that men may face in terms of mental health.
Overall, the dynamics between men and mental health need to be revised to help prevent the rapid decline in deaths worldwide. Now that we’ve been enlightened on how mental health plays a toll on men and women we will be able to deliberately portray and showcase these deep emotions in our film production.
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