MEN and MENtal Health

In England, 1 in 8 men has a common mental health problem such as depression or anxiety.  And tragically, suicide is not as rare as one might think. A staggering 75% of UK deaths from suicide are men,  and what’s more, suicide is the single biggest killer of men under 50.

Suicide is a hugely sensitive, complex issue with a myriad of causes. Still, as mental health awareness has grown, there is greater public understanding about potential contributing factors. One of the questions that has persisted, though, regards the gender gap. The damaging stigma around mental health problems tends to affect men disproportionately, and societal expectations and traditional gender roles are thought to play a part in this. For example one UK study by YouGov found that 28% of men did not seek help for mental health issues, compared to 19% of women.