MYH Press Release May 2009

Recession Puts Men's Mental Health Risk

A shocking new report Men and Mental Health 'Get it off your chest' published this week by Mind, a leading Mental health charity, produces shocking statistics that the recession is having an adverse affect on men's mental health.

Mind's new YouGov Survey of over 2000 Men and Women found that :

31% of men would feel embarrassed about seeking help for mental distress
Just 14% of men (35-44yrs) would see a GP if they felt low compared to 37% of women
4% of young men (18-24yrs) would see a counsellor if they felt low compared to 13% of young women
Only 31% of men would talk to their family about feeling low compared to nearly half of women
Almost twice as many men as women get angry when they are worried
10% of men say they find sex the best way to relax compared to 4% of women
Almost twice as many men as women drink alcohol to cope with feeling down
Women are nearly 5 times more likely to get tearful than men
45% of men think they can fight off feeling down compared to 36% of women.

Mind's recommendations include:

The Government must produce the first men's mental health strategy
The criteria for diagnosing mental health problems should be expanded to include male acting out behaviour (taking drugs, drinking, getting aggressive) as well as traditional signs of depression (sleepless nights, crying, feeling low).
Men should be offered 'male-friendly' treatments like computerised therapy or exercise
Health services should be advertised in places men frequent, such as gyms, pubs or the workplace
GP surgeries should be gender neutral, men are often put off by what they consider an overly feminine environment
Employers must do more to support their stressed male employees
The needs of black and minority ethnic men must be made a priority for Strategic Health Authorities when the Delivering Race Equality strategy ends
The relationship between sexuality, gender and mental wellbeing should be a core part of the training given to health and social services professionals.

To read the article in full click here

Mind (2009) Men and Mental Health : Get it Off Your Chest

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