Mental Health of Specific Male Groups

Mental health disorders affect both men and women all over the world. This specific information relates to men and mental health and who is more prone to experiencing a problem at one time or another. Many people including sufferers are unsure about who is more likely to suffer; does it depend on your age? Sexuality? Race or religion? The data below should give you a better insight into this issue.

Young Men and Boys

The Samaritans’ report Young Men Speak Out [42] surveyed young male attitudes in the UK. The report highlights the fact that 12 young men kill themselves every week in the UK, and suggests that macho stereotypes are preventing young men from asking for help. The survey of young male attitudes reveals that young men in distress are more likely to use violence and anti-social behaviour to express themselves than they are to tell someone how they feel.

The Samaritans’ report found that only 39 per cent of suicidal young men would consider phoning the Samaritans. The survey found that:

67 per cent of suicidal young men say they have nowhere to turn for emotional help

Suicidal young men are four times more likely to smoke and ten times more likely to take an illegal drug to relieve stress

More than one in three young men would ‘smash something up’ instead of talking about their feelings

Less than one in five young men would ask their father for emotional support

78 per cent of depressed and suicidal young men have experienced bullying

69 per cent of suicidal young men have experienced violence from an adult

50 per cent of suicidal young men have been in trouble with the police compared to 17 per cent of the non-suicidal.

Adrienne Katz, co-author of the Young Men Speak Out research, said: “Many of the lads I spoke to said ‘Nobody ever asks me how I really feel’. We have to let lads know that it is safe to talk and that they won’t be judged by society for being open about their feelings.”

Around 11 per cent of 5 to 15 year old boys in the UK are diagnosed as having some form of mental health problem, compared with 8 per cent of girls in the same age group. [43] The prevalence of conduct disorders was found to be twice as common among boys than girls. For hyperkinetic disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the ratio was found to be even greater, with the prevalence in boys being four times that in girls (2 per cent, compared with 0.5 per cent).

Older Men

Older men have the highest suicide rates in the UK. Suicide in older men is strongly associated with depression, physical pain or illness, living alone, and feelings of hopelessness and guilt. One factor is the lack of medical resources for older men: while Well Women clinics are a common feature in primary care, there are few male equivalents. A few Well Man Clinics have been set up, but these are far from being commonly available.

Older men also experience some specific hormonal, physiological and chemical changes. This is sometimes referred to as the male menopause, and is also known as viropause or andropause. These changes begin generally between the ages of 40 and 55, though they can occur as early as 35 or as late as 65, and can affect all aspects of a man’s life, including their mental health.

Generally between the ages of 40 and 50 a number of hormones in the male body begin to decline. Lowered levels of dopamine, oxytocin, vasopressin, growth hormone, melatonin, thyroid hormone and testosterone may decrease sex drive, increase depression and weight gain, and contribute to a general decrease in health and wellbeing. The male body begins to lose its firmness and change shape. Characteristic medical conditions like enlarged prostate develop. Sexual functioning is often compromised by hormonal imbalance, illness, medications, mind or mood. Stamina and temperament can be affected too. Emotionally, like their female counterparts, men can experience severe symptoms as a result of the viropause, including severe depression and suicide. [44]

(Statistics from Mind.org.uk)

An individual's sexuality is an extremely important part in life. Men who are gay already have the issue of accepting their sexuality and preparing themselves for the possible reactions and pressures of friends and family. If an individual finds they have no support and are isolated from loved ones, problems can occur with issues like substance abuse or may even lead to experiencing other mental health disorders.

Gay Men

Gay men generally, and young gay men in particular, may face a number of pressures due to their sexuality. Many can feel isolated; they may have difficulties coming to terms with their sexuality, experience problems arising from society’s attitude towards them, or have direct experience of facing discrimination and being stigmatised.

Levels of substance abuse in the gay community are high. American statistics suggest that between 20 to 33 per cent of the gay community are affected by alcoholism, far exceeding the general population[45] Reasons suggested for this include the problems of dealing with societal oppression, using alcohol and drugs as a means of coping with depression, and the pivotal role of bars in gay social networks.

Gay men experiencing mental distress may have problems accessing appropriate services such as counselling or psychotherapy, as a number of counselling and psychotherapeutic methodologies pathologise gay sexuality. Recent research reports that between 25 to 60 per cent of gay people seek counselling at some stage in their lives, and that up to 50 per cent of these individuals report discontent with their experiences. [46]

The Health Education Authority mental health promotion on ‘Sexual identity’ states that: “Some gay people internalise negative attitudes towards their sexuality and experience feelings of self-hatred, shame and low self-esteem. Some studies have suggested that internalised homophobia is a risk factor for alcohol and drug dependency. Anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicide and attempted suicide have all been linked with the combined effects of the experience of prejudice and discrimination and internalised negative feelings.” [47]

A large study has confirmed earlier research suggesting that gay and bisexual men face a higher risk of considering and attempting suicide, and of killing themselves. The researchers interviewed nearly 3,000 gay and bisexual men between 1996 and 1998. They found that 21 per cent of the men said they had previously made a plan to kill themselves, and 12 per cent said they had attempted suicide. [48]

Research suggests that gay men do not feel comfortable accessing primary health care services because they have experienced homophobia within the NHS. [49] Only 25 per cent of those surveyed found their GP’s accepting of their sexuality. Only four per cent found mental health services to be gay-friendly.

The research suggests that 73 per cent of gay men have experience of stress. In 35 per cent stress was due to their sexual orientation. 12 per cent had attempted suicide, and a further 8 per cent had considered suicide because of their sexual orientation. (For further information, see Mind’s Lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and mental health factsheet.)

Black and Minority Ethnic Men

The majority of the UK’s Black and minority ethnic population is caught in the lowest social classes. They are socially disadvantaged, many are unemployed or forced to take low-paid jobs, and live in some of the worst housing. People from minority ethnic groups may face overt racism and discrimination in their everyday lives. They may also face more subtle institutional racism practised by the institutions of society.

Black and minority ethnic men are frequently stereotyped by society. This reinforces the social exclusion that they are already facing. African and African-Caribbean men, in particular, are frequently stereotyped as being violent and dangerous.

Men from Black and minority ethnic groups have far higher rates of compulsory admission to psychiatric hospital than the general population. They are more likely to be treated with drugs and ECT, and are less likely to receive counselling or psychotherapy.

Black men

Black men are more likely than white men to be transferred from prison to psychiatric hospital. [50] They have higher admission rates to hospital under section, and are more likely to be assessed as being dangerous than white men. They are over-represented in secure units. [51] (For further information, see Mind’s factsheet The mental health of the African-Caribbean community in Britain.)

It has been variously estimated that African-Caribbean men and, in particular, Black men born in Britain are between 2.4 and 18 times more likely to be given a diagnosis of schizophrenia than the general population. [52] While some researchers believe these to be accurate findings of the incidence of schizophrenia in Black men, others believe that these high rates may be due, at least in part, to misdiagnosis by psychiatrists. Issues such as cultural differences in the expression of distress, concepts of illness, expectations from support agencies, and linguistic needs in a multicultural society can all contribute towards potential misdiagnosis of Black men in mental distress. [53]

It has been suggested that some doctors are too willing to label certain behaviours as unacceptable because they lack a cross-cultural perspective. Cultural perceptions can influence definitions of normality and deviance from normality. Behaviour seen by psychiatrists from a white British background as evidence of schizophrenia may be seen as perfectly acceptable behaviour within the culture that person belongs to.

Asian men

A similar picture emerges for Asian men, although they are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than schizophrenia. [54] As with African-Caribbean men, Asian men have a high incidence of compulsory admission to psychiatric institutions, they have high levels of physical treatments, low levels of referral for talking treatments, such as counselling or psychotherapy, and low uptake of after-care services.

Several reasons have been put forward for this treatment of Asian men, including a lack of awareness within the Asian community of available services, a lack of appropriate and culturally sensitive services, stereotypes held by service providers, and a failure by GPs to refer Asians to mental health services. [55]

A common stereotype of the Asian community is that the extended family ‘looks after their own’, and this is why many Asian people do not access outside support. In fact, one study found that only 13 per cent of their sample regarded the family as a viable support structure. [56] (For further information, see Mind’s factsheet The mental health of the South Asian community in Britain.)

Chinese men

There is a considerable stigma attached to mental illness by the Chinese community. This stigma may lead to reluctance on the part of Chinese people to seek help for mental health problems. Many Chinese people believe that mental health problems bring shame to the family, and it is not uncommon for Chinese people with mental health problems to commit suicide. [57]

Men, generally, are reluctant to express emotions and to seek help with emotional problems. Added to this, within Chinese culture men are taught from a very early age not to express emotions, as this is a sign of weakness. Many Chinese people believe that feeling depressed is a way of life, and is a very private matter. Culturally, it is common to keep one’s problems to oneself. [58]

It is estimated that 70 per cent of Chinese people in the UK do not speak English. This, together with a shortage of Chinese mental health workers or translators, makes it extremely difficult for many Chinese people to access mental health services. (For further information see Mind’s factsheet: The mental health of Chinese and Vietnamese people in Britain.)

Irish men

The Irish community in the UK often experiences prejudice and discrimination, similar to those of people from other minority ethnic groups. This is not always recognised, as the Irish are an ‘invisible’ minority, being white and English speaking.

Irish people, generally, are statistically more likely than the general population to be socially disadvantaged, to experience long-term disability and are grossly over-represented as users of psychiatric services. Research also shows that Irish men are the only migrant group whose life expectancy worsens on emigration to England. [59]

Irish men have an admission rate to psychiatric hospital three times higher than the general population. [60] Irish men have particularly high rates of diagnosis of depression and alcoholism. The incidence of schizophrenia, anxiety and personality disorders are also higher than those for the general population. (For further information see Mind’s factsheet The mental health of Irish-born people in Britain.)

(Statistics from Mind.org.uk)

If you would like to find further information about sexuality issues, please see our section on sexuality. Fore more statistics on other subjects visit the Mind website by clicking on the link above and type into their search box the subject you are looking for.