Changing Conversations Around Men’s Mental Health

As we mark Men’s Mental Health Week, it’s a timely reminder to reflect not just on the challenges men face but also on the changes taking place in how we talk about and approach mental health.

In 2020, the Frontiers in Psychology Journal published a study revealing that men undergoing depression treatment encounter both positive and negative outcomes when seeking help and utilizing services. They talk about how manly norms and stereotypes hurt them, but they also show that views about typical masculine standards are changing.

Peer-led groups for guys only help men discuss their worries and get better at asking for help. People who are depressed can still get help because of traditional manly norms. Indeed, these norms have the potential to alter negative perceptions about commonly accepted unhealthy work practices.

Men who use mental health services learn healthy ways to deal with problems and become more self-aware as they improve. These techniques help them see things differently and stop trying to be outstanding at work and in life. People’s perspectives on work are evolving, and we could discuss the results in this context. For example, workers from conservative groups value standing and freedom more than workers from baby boomers or Generation X.

More research could be done on how fatherhood helps depressed dads cope. Masculinity norms make it harder for people with depression to get help, but more research is needed to find out which services individuals prefer, like the role of general practitioners. Quantitative studies should look at the mental health needs of depressed guys in a larger group, taking into account their social status.