Mental wellness in men: Embracing mental health as a sign of masculinity
In a concerted effort to dismantle the stigma surrounding men's mental health and increase participation in mental health interventions, several effective strategies have emerged. These strategies focus on reshaping societal norms, enhancing emotional literacy, and creating supportive environments.
One of the key approaches is normalising help-seeking as a sign of strength. By challenging outdated masculine norms that equate vulnerability with weakness, asking for help is presented as a courageous, proactive behaviour. This counteracts the stigma and encourages men to reach out for support [1][3][5].
Promoting emotional psychoeducation is another crucial step. Teaching men about emotions, mental health symptoms, and healthy coping strategies builds emotional literacy that many men traditionally lack [1].
Creating safe, supportive spaces is essential for men to feel comfortable discussing their mental health. Mental health conversations are more effective when they happen in environments characterised by empathy and without judgment, such as during shared activities [3]. Group therapy and men’s support groups can foster community and emotional safety, helping men feel less isolated [1][5].
Engaging non-traditional male spaces, like workplaces, sports clubs, and community organisations, helps break stereotypes and makes conversations about mental health more common and accepted in traditionally masculine domains [3].
Using indirect communication and relatable formats, such as incorporating role-play or activity-based methods in therapy, can improve engagement and help men develop communication skills in non-threatening ways [2].
Loved ones play a significant role in encouraging men to seek help. By creating judgment-free zones and recognising atypical signs of mental health distress, such as irritability, anger, withdrawal, or substance use, they can help men seek help earlier [1][3].
Addressing men's mental well-being in a way that conforms to their mindset reaps benefits, such as using male-friendly language and providing male-only environments [4]. Team spirit and group interventions have proven successful in engaging men and mitigating the stigma around mental health [6].
Removing the stigma around men's mental health is an important step in resolving issues, facilitating interventions, and increasing male participation. Efforts such as "Man Therapy," which uses humor to tackle serious issues and provide support for men's mental wellbeing [7], and "Manup.how," which challenges the phrase "man up" and provides multiple events and links to mental health resources [8], are making a difference.
Organisations like "HeadsUpGuys," which aims to provide awareness, reduce stigma, and offer self-management strategies for mental health [9], and "Man About Town," which uses music, photography, and art to bring men together and offer peer support for mental health [10], are working towards improving men's mental well-being.
Projects like "Men in Sheds" and the CALM zone provide safe spaces and resources for mental health improvement [11][15]. Over 40% of mental health referrals in the UK are men, suggesting that the true number of men who need help may be under-represented [16].
Physical activity-related interventions like playing sports, walking, and going to the gym have positive benefits on mental health symptoms among participants [17]. An hour of yoga weekly, in addition to other physical activity, can lead to a reduction in depression, anxiety, and stress among men [18].
In the US, almost 40% of those treated for mental health conditions are men, with an 11-year delay between experiencing symptoms and seeking treatment [19]. Under 40% of mental health referrals in the UK are men, indicating a need for more targeted interventions [20].
In conclusion, addressing the stigma around men's mental health requires multifaceted efforts to revise cultural narratives, enhance emotional understanding, and provide tailored, accessible mental health resources that resonate with men’s lived experiences. These strategies have the potential not only to increase male participation in mental health interventions but also to improve broader well-being outcomes. As the saying goes, "Your mental fitness is equally as important as your physical fitness." [21]
Mental health interventions can benefit significantly from incorporating scientifically-backed strategies into health-and-wellness programs. For instance, teaching men about mental health symptoms and coping strategies through emotional psychoeducation is a crucial step [1].
In addition, promoting a healthier understanding of mental health can be achieved by altering societal norms and encouraging supportive environments. This can be done by reshaping traditional perceptions of masculinity to normalise help-seeking as a sign of strength [3].
