The Women’s Resource Center supports all students on Truman’s campus. The statistics below outline the dangers that men face from untreated mental illness. Mental health can often be overlooked in men due to our society and expectations placed upon men to be stoic and unshakable. We find that unacceptable!
If you or a friend would feel more comfortable finding peer help with a man, the WRC’s male employees would be happy to help. Please shoot us an email or visit our office for more information.
Statistics on Male Mental Health:
There are just under 152 million men in the U.S., of those, 6 million are affected by depression each year. Depression in men is more likely to go undiagnosed. Men that are feeling depression will likely report irritability, loss of interest in work or hobbies, and fatigue rather than feelings of worthlessness.
About 3 million men have a panic disorder, agoraphobia, or any other phobia and approximately 19 million between the ages of 18 and 54 have an anxiety disorder. About 1 million American men are affected by bipolar disorder, the age of onset for men is usually between 16 and 25. 3.5 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with schizophrenia, one of the leading causes of disability. 90% of people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia by age 30 are men.
Males account for an estimated 10% of patients with anorexia or bulimia and about 35% of those with binge-eating disorder. Men with eating disorders are less likely to seek professional help than women.
The highest suicide rates in the U.S. are found in Caucasian men over the age of 85. Since 2000, male suicides have been on the rise. It is not the 7th leading cause of death, accounting for 2.2% of all male deaths in 2011. 4 times as many men as women die by suicide in the U.S. There were just over 38,000 suicides in 2010, men accounted for 79% of these. Gay and bisexual men are more likely to develop mental health disorders than heterosexual men. Factors for depression include social isolation, substance abuse, unemployment, mood disorders, and more put individuals at a higher risk for suicide.
Approximately 1 out of 5 men develop alcohol dependency in their lives. Homosexual men are more likely to have higher rates of substance abuse than heterosexual men. Male veterans are twice as likely as female veterans to experience substance abuse.
Men and women experience many of the same mental disorders but the symptoms between the two could be very different. Men with anxiety or depression may hide their feelings and appear more aggressive while women may express sadness. Some men turn to drugs or alcohol to try to cope with their emotional issues. Sometimes mental health symptoms appear to be a physical issue. Some warning signs include anger/aggressiveness, difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much, engaging in high-risk activities, thoughts/behaviors that interfere with work or their social life, increased worry/stress levels, and more.
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties with depression, anxiety, or some other form of mental stress, there are free resources to reach out to for help and assistance!
Mental Health America on Men’s Mental Health
National Institue of Mental Health on Men’s Mental Health