According to numerous studies, men are less likely than women to seek mental health support. This is attributed to conventional conceptions of masculinity - ‘men don’t cry’ being the most popular one. Traditional masculinity is characterised by instrumental personality traits such as aggression, self-affirmation, social dominance, and lack of consideration for others. These traits are often internalised in childhood and adolescence, and may be a factor that discourage men from asking for help when required.
University students are frequently regarded as a vulnerable population that is less likely to seek support for their mental health concerns due to reasons such as the stigma associated with mental health, lack of awareness, high cost of mental health services, lack of accessibility, concerns about confidentiality or personal beliefs.
A study of medical students in North India found that only 13% sought help from mental health professionals, although close to 75% felt that their studies were taking a toll on their physical and mental health. When asked why they did not seek help, the main reasons were the stigma of being labelled as mentally ill, being labelled as weak by peers, and a lack of time (Grover et al., 2019).
Male college-going students can be considered a high-risk group who are even more reluctant to seek mental health support due to a combination of social and cultural factors, for example, their dependence on unhealthy coping strategies like substance use or avoidance, that can increase the risk of mental health concerns or worsen the existing concerns.
Factors determining help-seeking and health service use among men:
Two factors have been proposed to account for the patterns in men’s help-seeking behaviour and health service use:
Sociocultural factors
Biological factors
These elements are not independent of one another. The social construction of masculinity has a significant impact on health and illness, and it has the potential to both- prescribe men's lives and limit them. Sociologists have suggested that men's health may be at risk from certain behaviours associated with traditional forms of masculinity. Patterns of illness as well as men's experiences and behaviour may be negatively impacted by dominant masculine cultures and values. For instance, masculine gender role socialisation is frequently associated with values like emotion suppression. Men's proper utilisation of health services may also be hindered by adhering to patriarchal masculine traits like superiority, independence, self-reliance, and dominance. For example- teasing a male with a feminine name or stereotypical language being used for clothing, etiquettes, the accent and also level of strength - “why are you sulking like a girl?”, “Man up! Let’s go drinking and you will forget your worries.” and so on.
Cultural stereotypes also lead men to delay seeking treatment for symptoms and to ignore screening and preventative care. The social factors that shape men's assistance looking for conduct have been made sense of above, at this point a lot of exploration in this space neglects to address science. For example- being abided by more culturally plural dogmatic beliefs, religious beliefs, culturally-prescribed gender roles, cultural notions regarding how male bodies function differently than female bodies (especially in rural areas) come into play while seeking professional help.
To add to this, men's health behaviours require taking into account men's biology. The structural, physiological, and reasons for why men are more susceptible to a number of diseases than women are the primary focus of a biologically determinist approach to the differences in men's and women's health experiences.
Other influences in help-seeking:
In conclusion, men are a vulnerable group when it comes to help seeking behaviour due to socio-cultural factors, biological factors and other factors like support and individual decision making process. Additionally, individual factors such as shame, embarrassment, or fear of judgement can also play a role in men's reluctance to seek help. By recognising the unique challenges faced by men, and creating supportive and inclusive environments, society can work towards reducing the barriers to help-seeking and improving the mental health outcomes for all individuals.
How can the stigma around help-seeking be reduced?
Fortunately, this stigma is slowly beginning to lessen but there is still a very long way to go. Education about the importance of mental health is growing and multiple initiatives that are aimed at reducing the shame of seeking help have started in the last few years. On social media, men are increasingly talking about their mental health and encouraging other men to do the same. Additionally, studies show that millennials and members of Generation Z of any gender are more likely than members of previous generations to seek therapy.
When to seek help:
Changes in personality characteristics, inability to cope, unusual thinking, feelings of withdrawal, problems in sleep, changes in eating patterns are some signs that might point out that there is a need to reach out for help.
How to seek help:
Taking small steps, reaching out to close one’s, being kind to oneself, engaging in self-reflection and visiting a local doctor/mental health professional.
Steps to approach a mental health professional:
Deciding on the professional to approach depending on your need (counsellor, clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.)
Next is to find someone reliable that you can trust
Have an initial conversation with them - ask them questions, check if your values align, ask about their qualifications and working style, check whether their fee would be financially sustainable, etc. before starting your sessions.
Constantly monitor what is working and what's not.
Feel free to have a conversation with them if you feel they are not a right fit for you for various reasons. They might also be able to recommend someone else.
Feel like reading more?
Resources
www.thegiraffespace.com - Website for mental health resources and support
https://themindclan.com/ - Therapist, support groups, and resources
https://safeaccess.co.in/doctor/page/9/ - for safe access
https://huesofthemind.live/helpyourself/hotmrepository - Huesofthemind Wellbeing Foundation
LGBTQI+ Mental Health Support - Mariwala Health Initiative (Sliding scale)
Mental Health Helplines & Assistance in India | TheMindClan.com for credible helplines for crisis situation and MH support
Therapist Aid for MH therapeutic aid
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