Mental Health Depression Essay

Closely related to notions of masculinity is mental health. As the Canadian Mental Health Association [CMHA] (2018) and CMHF (2018) report, beliefs about masculinity can discourage men’s interest in health issues, and stigma, fears of emasculation, vulnerability, and powerlessness in particular can dissuade interest in mental health. For example, many men have lower awareness of depression and anxiety symptoms or do not believe they are susceptible, and they often do not link issues or symptoms like anger and insomnia, to emotional distress (CMHA, 2018; State of Victoria, Department of Health 2015). Rather, men tend to employ maladaptive behaviours, like numbing, which can lead to self-destructive behaviours, such as violence

The effects of self-stigma can lead to a lack of self esteem, lack of confidence, isolation and the increased likelihood of avoiding professional help for their illness. This then has an over all affect on quality of life and where one sees themselves fitting within society (Barney, Griffiths, Jorm & Christensen, 2005; Griffiths & Christensen, 2004; Newell & Gournay, 2000).

Men are less likely to seek help for depression because in countless societies, men are looked down upon for showing emotion. Untreated depression can then easily lead to suicidal thoughts and eventually suicidal behavior. Men throughout the world carry the burden of concealing their weaknesses from those around them for

Men are treated vastly differently than women. For example, men are expected to not show their emotions. In “why men don’t last” by Natalie Angier, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, she described how even when men are young boys they have their emotions shamed out of them by their parents and their peers (Angier 1011). In “The War Against Boys” Christina Hoff Sommers, a writer of several books, wrote how men have it imprinted on them at a young age that showing your emotions is a sign of weakness. Men are also taught to be self-sufficient and not ask for help (Sommers 1061). For example, there were many times when I was in school but needed help. I never asked because I always wanted to think of myself as self-sufficient, that I did not need the help from my teacher and I could figure it out myself. Now, of course, I realize how dumb that was that there is no shame in asking for help,

The stigma label could increase his perception of hopelessness, which, in turn, perpetuates or magnifies the cycle of the illness. His family may feel the effects of the stigma since many people mistakenly consider all mental disorders to be either genetic or the result of an unfavorable upbringing. This, in turn, can erroneously create the family’s feelings of unfounded guilt or embarrassment. His friends and others in his support system can also be negatively impacted by the stigma simply from an association standpoint, possibly resulting in them distancing themselves from an already somewhat isolated patient. So the stigma exasperates the patient’s internal negative perceptions and can externally create conflict between him and those closest to him.

Before we can begin to discuss the reasons that the disorder is more commonly diagnosed in men,

As stated in the article, while many people, regardless of their gender, have preconceived notions regarding using and seeking out mental health services, men

the government have found that men are less likely than a woman to make appointments to see a doctor when suffering with a problem because they feel it will be seen as being ‘unmanly’ due to the picture society has created. When men finally see a medical professional the problem that would have been very minor has got a lot more

Generally, there are not as many documented physical abuse cases for men as there are for women. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (2014), men are less likely to seek help when it comes to physical abuse. “1 in 4 women (24.3%) and 1 in 7 men (13.8%) aged 18 and older in the United States have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime” (National Domestic Violence Hotline, 2014). The stigma revolving around masculinity and how society views men teaches them not to express their feelings and see themselves as victims. The common stereotype is that men are seen as the abusers and women are seen as victims, therefore men who express their feelings are seen as weak and incapable of being a “man”.

Women are more likely to seek medical health faster than men. Because if a women feels a little pain somewhere are she notices something different she will be scared and she would want to know what is up. On the other hand men would just be all I’m alright it will get better soon. They don’t get help until they know something is actually wrong.

Stigma has been said to be “a feeling of being negatively differentiated owing to a particular condition, group membership or state in life”(Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012, p. 458). There are typically two types of mental illness stigma that are discussed. Public stigma, also known as societal stigma, is the stigma associated with the prejudicial attitudes the public holds towards those people who suffer from mental illness (Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012; Corrigan, Markowitz, Watson, Rowan & Kubiak, 2003). Self-stigma, also known as internalized stigma, is the loss of self-esteem, withdrawal, and personal shame that some with mental illness will experience. Self-stigma is usually developed when those who suffer from mental illness associate the negative stereotypes the public holds with themselves (Chronister, Chou, & Lieo, 2013; Corrigan et al., 2003).

2010). This research looks into the ways that masculine norms contribute to depression among men; research in this field can lead to improved therapy programs for men as well as preventative methods that allow men to live more comfortable and happy lives. This research specifically addresses a gap in the literature that has underutilized the in-depth interview approach to understanding men’s experiences with their health. Depression is increasingly found among younger generations, masculinity has an important influence in the ways in which it is

There are many stigmas, or misconceptions and misperceptions in our society which need to be shattered. I believe that one of the worse possible effects of stigma is that it causes those affected by psychological disorders, or mental illness, to crawl more deeply into themselves because it provokes a sense of shame. Stigma thrusts those suffering with mental illness into a sense of isolation, social exclusion, and discrimination. “Stigma can lead to discrimination … It may be obvious or direct … Or it may be unintentional or subtle…” (Staff). Stigma is often as big as the illness itself and I confess to having been a perpetuator of this dreaded thing, although not consciously aware and without the intent of furthering the harm of someone.

Erving Goffman’s theory of social stigma (1963) will be used as a guideline for the thesis and will act as a basis for further research on personal and perceived depression stigma. Stigma is a deeply discrediting attribute which has a strong relationship to stereotype (Goffman, 1963) Goffman defines stigma as a gap between “virtual social identity and actual social identity” and states that stigmata are bodily signs which deviate from the norm (Goffman, 1963). According to him, three different types of stigma exist: (1) physical deformities, (2) blemishes of individual character and (3) tribal stigma.

Family and friends become worried about this person. They don’t understand why this person may be depressed or know how to help. So in turn both the person and their loved ones feel helpless. People that have strong social support and loved ones to lean on tend to recover faster than people that isolate themselves or have no one.