You have probably heard the shocking statistics related to men’s mental health: nearly 80% of all suicides involve men. It means that rate is over three times higher than of suicide in women. Why is it so? Although finding the answer to this question is ambitious, and maybe even impossible, it is clear that mental health plays a big role here.
Mental health got worse during the pandemic
The newest surveys show that COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the situation of men’s mental health. Let us begin with the fact that men are not used to asking for help from specialists or talking about their mental health with friends or relatives. And during the pandemic, they not only had to deal with the problems they already had – the situation was complicated by uncertainty, lost jobs, isolation, and reduced communication.
Such a context suggests that the situation has changed drastically. However, as the number of men facing mental problems grew, so did those who seeked counselling support. For example, 79% of respondents said that they were more socially acceptable to discuss mental health than earlier or 71% of men responded that solving the problems you face with the help of psychotherapist or counsellor might make you happier.
In other words, the number of men who have been more aware of mental health issues increased. So, it can be said that we avoided the tragedy that could happen. Nevertheless, the concerns related to men’s mental health remain significant as various stereotypes in the society and other multiple causes discourage men from asking for a help.
There is still room for improvement
Although we can be happy that men’s awareness is growing, there is always room for improvement in order to achieve more significant results. According to Aflac Men’s Health Survey, less than a half of respondents had their annual wellness visit in the past year. What is more, more than 70% of men said that they faced problems related to their mental health in the past year. However, 1 in 4 respondents said that they have never talked about them neither in the past 12 months, nor earlier.
These statistics do not allow us to remain indifferent and encourage the search for solutions to these problems. The question is what to start with? Of course, it is most advisable to seek help from specialists. However, if you are convinced that you are capable of making a change in your life yourself, then you should find a way to balance your daily life.
In other words, you need to focus on developing new habits that allow you to spend enough time every day for sleep, movement and activities that ensure good mental health. Let’s agree, the task is not easy. That is why a tool to balance routine might be extremely helpful in this case. Using this or other tools will help you to live a quality and productive life, and at the same time reduce the likelihood of psychological problems to a minimum.
