“Get over it. Suck it up. You’re fine. Man up.”
Though mental health awareness is currently at an all-time high in the United States, the fact that it’s trending is not enough to break decades of harmful generational and societal stigmas.
Now more than ever, men are being encouraged to take care of their mental health, to get a therapist, to seek professional treatment — and yet, the majority of them still do none of these.
If you’re reading this, you probably already know why: it’s because it doesn’t “feel natural.”
Depending on how you were raised and the company you’re regularly surrounded with, it might feel or be considered embarrassing, stupid or even flat out wrong.
We’re used to seeing the 19-year-old girl in a matching yoga outfit, holding a green smoothie talk about the importance of mental health care, but how often do you see a forty-something man in a suit, working his way up the corporate ladder talk about the same thing?
Even the men who do genuinely take care of their mental health don’t often speak about it publicly. This lack of representation is taking a toll on the individual man, as well as our society as a whole.
In this article, we’re going to take a deeper look into the traumas men are most likely to experience, as well as how these traumas affect them, to help you take better care of yourself.
Breaking down different men’s trauma
Though trauma does not discriminate against gender and men of all ages can experience a wide variety of different traumas, they are reported to most commonly experience combat trauma, witness a violent crime and be the victim of childhood sexual abuse.
Combat trauma is the number one form of trauma that men experience. It might sound like a “military only” kind of trauma, but combat trauma is not limited to those in active military duty. Combat trauma can also affect citizens in the form of being the target of an assault, attack or violent crime.
Witnessing violence is the second most common form of trauma that men experience. Whether a child, teenager, twenty-something or middle-aged man, being exposed to violence, directly or indirectly, is a trauma that countless men are far too familiar with.
Childhood sexual abuse is a devastating trauma that affects countless children every year. Children rarely disclose any of these events, let alone confide in someone who decides to file a formal report, so the statistics we have are limited. Currently, it is estimated that 1 in every 50 boys under the age of 18 is the victim of a sexual abuse crime, but we suspect the true numbers are much higher.
Men’s mental health
Here are some facts about men’s mental health you may or may not already be familiar with; it’s important to know these things to realize that mental health impacts men just as much as women.
Men are very unlikely to seek and receive some form of professional medical help for their mental health, regardless of the severity of any known or unknown conditions.
Due to generational stigmas and stereotypes surrounding mental health, men commonly dismiss the harmful symptoms and behaviors as “just how they are” or “just a part of life.”
As a result of untreated mental health conditions, men have a high likelihood of developing additional medical and behavioral problems, such as chronic illness, insomnia and addiction.
Men report lower levels of overall satisfaction in their lives, specifically in the realms of personal health and happiness; this is largely believed to be due to their lack of mental health care.
Reach out to us for support
If you or a man you know is struggling with their mental health or an unhealed trauma, send us a message, or encourage them to do so.
There is no shame in seeking professional help when you need it, but if the word “help” doesn’t sit right with you, think of it as an investment, in yourself.
Here at Silvermist Recovery, our mission is to support you in this current level of your life, so that you can ascend to the next level — the one where you’re thriving.
To help you do this, we offer fully comprehensive, client-focused programs for mental health and trauma recovery, for male adults of all ages. We have a core belief that every situation and every person is unique, which is why every treatment plan is fully customized to your individual needs.
Our support specialists are available 24/7 for your convenience; you can reach out to us anytime and have a private consultation to learn what your next steps can be.
Give us a call today at 724-268-4858 to get started.