Blog
Men and Mental Health: A Silent Crisis
Many of my male patients have told me that they feel like mental health issues among men are not talked about enough. The rates of conditions like depression and anxiety are rising among men. Certain mental health conditions have been more prevalent among women but the gap between the amount of men with mental health disorders like depression compared to women is decreasing. In Canada, 4 out of 5 suicides are men (CMHA). 1 in 10 men face depression during their lifetime (CAMH). 1 in 6 men face anxiety during their lifetime (Anxiety Canada).
A Men’s Health Issue
Many scholars believe that men are less likely to report issues with their mood or anxiety levels and are more likely to underemphasize the severity of their symptoms. Men may tend to focus on the physical aspects of their mental health conditions (like pain and digestion issues) and ignore psychological symptoms like sadness, worry and panic. Data also suggests that emotional suffering may look different in men and may present as anger, irritability and alcohol or drug overuse. So men are dealing with underreporting and underdiagnosis of mental heath issues.
Some men do recognize that they need mental health support but I’ve often been told by my male patients that they’re not satisfied with the professional care they’ve received in the past. It’s interesting to note that health care providers have been found to be less likely to spend as much time focusing on psychological concerns with men.
Society’s Role
Societal norms (such as certain beliefs about masculinity) are believed to be part of the reason why men are less likely to recognize and seek out help for things like anxiety and depression. An interesting 2018 research review noted that men are often blamed and considered stubborn for not seeking help but this view can be a form of “victim blaming” that ignores the role that culture and society play in influencing a man’s decision to get mental health support. This paper also noted that there may be a lack of sympathy for men struggling with their mental health (PMID 29673270).
Mental Health Resources for Men
I work with many men and women who are trying to manage their anxiety and I’m passionate about creating an environment where everyone feels like they can talk about whatever concerns are troubling them without fear of judgement or stigmatization. I’m hoping that with the right research and public health action as well as individual action, we as a society can start helping men feel more supported with their mental health.
Here are some great mental health resources for men:
Stress Part 2: Hormones
This is the second article of my series on stress. To read the previous article click here.
Last week I discussed how stress can affect the skin. Today I’ll be talking about some different ways stress can make hormones go haywire. Most women remember a time when their period went wonky during a stressful episode in life. This is just one example of how stress can impact hormones. Read on to find out how stress can play a role in hormonal conditions.
Irregular/ Absent Periods
Amenorhea is the term used for when you miss your period for multiple cycles. When this is caused by stress it’s known as hypothalamic amenorrhea. This fancy term is used because when you're stressed the part of the brain called the hypothalamus triggers a release of different stress hormones like cortisol. This can cause the brain to release less of the hormones important for your cycle (like LH and FSH). This ends up disturbing the ovulation process and the whole cycle. A similar process can lead to irregular periods.
Infertility
One of the most common pieces of advice given to women trying to get pregnant is to be less stressed. Like with hypothalamic amenorrhea, stress can lead to less consistent ovulation. This can make getting pregnant more complicated. Preliminary studies have found that stress can lead to something called reproductive aging. This involves decreased ability for the ovaries to produce a healthy egg.
Diabetes
There is some research suggesting that stress hormones like cortisol can make your body respond less to the hormone insulin. This makes it harder for your body to control blood sugar. Blood sugar may remain high for longer after meals when you’re stressed.
Thyroid Dysfunction
Improving stress levels has been shown to improve thyroid hormone levels. Cortisol can reduce thyroid hormone levels.
Men’s Health
Don’t think that stress only impacts women’s health! Hormones in men are also affected by stress. The effects are less understood though. There is research suggesting that stress may lower testosterone levels in men.
As you can see stress management is an important part of a plan to treat any of these conditions. If you need help with your hormones or your stress levels book an appointment or free 15 minute consult.