Male Perspective on Mental Health & The Society That Creates It

The male perspective on mental health is one that is often overlooked. Men are less likely to seek help for their mental illnesses, and when they do, they are less likely to be successful in the long term. We need to change the way we view men and mental health in order to see change within the male perspective.

 The society that creates mental illness has a lot of negative connotations surrounding it. When we talk about mental illness, we often think of depression or anxiety disorders. But there are so many more types of mental illnesses out there that are neglected because they don't fit into the same framework as depression or anxiety disorders. These illnesses include posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, dissocial disorders and neurodevelopment disorders.

Since time immemorial, men have been told to behave in a certain way that portrays them as paragons of emotional stability, impervious to any illness that might even display the slightest frailty within themselves. Society might not know that a diverse set of individual, family, community, and structural factors may contribute colossally to someone developing mental health disorders, hence, they do not bias mental health to a particular gender; it can affect anyone and everyone.

When I started struggling with my mental health back when I was 17, I noticed the twinge of stigma displayed by some of my comrades in school and some members of our patriarchal society. Some condescending statements, as I have stated in my previous post about toxic positivity, galvanized me to remain taciturn about my struggles and display a smiling face; after all, being a man commensurate with not showing emotion at all costs. I then realized that it was okay to not to be okay, and all struggles were different but valid. One can struggle with physical health while another, mental health.

From my conversations with my male friends about mental health, many have remained reticent about the topic, due to own personal beliefs or even some sense of being aloof about these issues. I do not blame their non-partisan approach, however; I see the need to have conversations about this topic, which appears to be a barrel of bile for several men.

 

What is the African man's perspective on mental health? 

" non-existent". A summative statement from the many polls I have shared on my Instagram story.

From several studies conducted by vast conglomerates, men suffering from depression and anxiety often pursue the avenue of self-help, which is seen to only add insult to injury. The vast majority who have sought medical services and professional help have found it more helpful and beneficial than the former. Men and obviously boys, feel embarrassed about talking about their struggles. I mean, I felt embarrassed too. Men feel like they have to be hyper masculine. That is the ideal narrative ingrained by society. We have become focused on that ideal that we forget to cry and show vulnerability. In fighting against mental illness, sometimes people forget we are human beings with brains like any other.

Let's end the stigma surrounding mental health in men. It is okay to not be okay.