Mental health matters: Looking at psychological well-being with a gender-less lens

“Psychological problems are affecting men more deeply than we might think,” says Priya Hiranandani, Vandrevala, Co-Founder, Vandrevala Foundation. The patriarchal nature of our social structure does not only give women a raw deal. It sometimes affects men unfairly too. Mental health issues concerning women have progressed in conversation in recent years. However, the mental health issues in men deserve more attention than what they currently get. The general stereotypes like ‘men are tough’ and are able to withstand more pain and stress can shift the focus away from their psychological well being.

Priya Hiranandani, Vandrevala, Co-Founder, Vandrevala Foundation, a non-profit offering free psychological counselling and crisis mediation through a 24×7 available helpline for anyone going through depression, trauma, mood disorders, chronic illness, and relationship conflict, to name a few, along with paid long-term therapy options, talks about why we need to move beyond the men-versus-women debate when it comes to mental health.

More Men Are Severely Affected by Mental Health Issues

“Mental health of men is important for the entire household.Mental health in men is a matter of grave concern. The Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2021 reports a 72.5-to-27.5 male-to-female ratio of suicide victims. Over 73,900 more men committed suicides in 2021 than women. The difference is stark across all 18+ age-groups and social status. Only in the age-group of under 18 years do women suicide rates edge past men.

The correlation between mental health and suicide is well established in medical literature. Of the suicide risk predictors, mental ill-health is the strongest, with 90% of people who attempt or commit suicide qualify for a mental disorder diagnostic criteria. Men suffer from significantly more mental illnesses than women do in every category, excluding eating disorders, anxiety and depression(quote data), which leads to higher suicide rates. For all suicide cases irrespective of gender, there is an urgent need for timely intervention between intention and action. Undoubtedly, the suicide rates need to come down for both genders.”

Putting Clinical Data into Perspective

“The wide range of psychological ailments and complexities related to mental health conditions often make it difficult to make clear distinctions with respect to age, gender, geography, and so on. As per a Lancet Psychiatry study based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990–2017, depressive, anxiety and eating disorders impact women more than men in India.However, most of the other mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, conduct disorders, ADHD, and others contribute to more disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in men than in women. This brings to the spotlight that men are more susceptible to mental health ailments.”

Less outreach for men

“Additionally, social stigma and gender dynamics especially in relation to patriarchal society lead to less outreach by men to see psychiatric and psychological help. Emotional, expressive men are socially less appreciated and accepted than their bold and serious counterparts in many instances. Work-related stress, the pressure of being the primary breadwinner, expectations to man-up, provide, and support, as well as financial worries can make men undergo a lot of pressure.

Women on the contrary display a higher emotional quotient and consequently are generally better at sharing. Unlike men, they are also more forthcoming in seeking help, opting for diagnosis, and engaging in talk therapy. Also, the language used by men is less expressive with fewer words, which may not always present the gravity of distress they are experiencing.”

“Men also engage in more substance abuse than women, including hallucinogens, marijuana and others. Various sociocultural factors contribute and aggravate these habits, including social acceptance, peer-pressure, and the correlation with masculinity. Other than gender-role stereotypes and social stigma, there are several other factors that prevent men from seeking help, such as low literacy and sensitivity quotients, self-administered coping strategies, mistrust on institutional care and so on.”

Taking the first step towards a solution
“Men are dying of suicide and need to be saved. Whilst both men and women undergo stress, they might both process it differently. Invariably, psychological problems are affecting men more deeply than we have focussed on as a society. It is time we make that effort of shining light on mental health issues faced by men – and help save lives.”