Supporting men's mental health concerns during Movember

It functions to raise public awareness on how mental health issues affect men.

The better understanding men have of the risks, signs and symptoms of mental illness and where to go for support, the more likely they are to get professional help sooner.

This is important because research shows men have negative attitudes about seeking medical care and are less likely than women to consult with their GP.

Accordingly, two-thirds of men admit to avoiding seeking medical advice for as long as possible when they’re unwell.

Sadly, the problems don’t stop once men have entered the consulting room with over a third of men confessing to withholding information from their GP specifically because they weren’t ready to deal with the potential diagnosis that might ensue if they were candid and open.

Leading on from this 20 per cent of men admit they aren’t always honest with a tendency to downplay their symptoms.

With the worrying increasing trend of male suicides totalling 4,188 in England in 2023, I’d like to reach out to all men within our community and empower them with advice to facilitate insight that encourages them to seek professional support for any mental health concerns they have.

The most common mental health condition affecting men is depression, however, male depression is diagnosed less often than in women.

Almost one in 10 men experience depression or anxiety, including anxiety-related disorders such as panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder and social phobias, but less than half will receive treatment for these conditions.

Furthermore, men account for about 10 per cent of patients with eating disorders, such as bulimia or anorexia, but are less likely to seek professional help.

Men are also more commonly diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), substance misuse and dependence disorders and conduct disorders.

Teenage boys are more likely to suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) than adolescent girls.

Schizophrenia is 1.4 more common in men than women with female patients having a better prognosis.

Somewhat surprisingly, evidence shows men can also experience the ‘baby blues’ with 10 per cent of men experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety.

Symptoms of mental illness tend to differ between the sexes.

Men tend to exhibit more escapist or avoidance behaviours, such as spending a lot of time at work or on sports.

Physical symptoms of underlying mental illness, such as headaches, digestive problems and pain, are more common in men.

Maladaptive coping mechanisms to combat underlying mental illness, such as misuse of alcohol and/or drugs alongside controlling, violent or abusive behaviours, are more common in men.

Furthermore, anger, irritability or aggression and risky behaviours, such as reckless driving, are often signs of deep-rooted psychological problems that men exhibit more frequently.

Although women contemplate suicide more often than men do, men are more likely to act upon suicidal ideation and kill themselves.

This is because men use methods that are more likely to cause death such as guns, tend to act more impulsively on suicidal thoughts and exhibit fewer warning signs, such as talking about their feelings, which would otherwise alert friends and relatives to seek help on their behalf.

There are lots of reasons why men are reluctant to seek help for their mental health.

These include fulfilling a sense of compliance towards traditional societal-based gender roles whereby men are expected to behave in a certain way inclusive of being dominant, strong, a breadwinner and in control.

The fear of being shunned, shamed, rejected, stigmatised and being viewed as weak often leads to men hiding mental health symptoms.

This can make it harder for men to open up and ask for help.

Challenging societal norms and attitudes through education and public health campaigns that remove stigma from mental illness is the first step in encouraging men to seek support.

Acknowledging the existence of mental health symptoms and seeking support are a sign of strength, not weakness.

I would urge all men who are concerned about their mental health to consult with their GP.

The appointment is private and confidential, you will be treated with empathy and compassion and treatments are patient-centric and extremely effective in augmenting your mental health rehabilitation back towards happiness.

Our columnist Dr Jason Seewoodhary is a former Worcester GP.