Mental health–related stigma is an umbrella term that includes social (public) stigma, self-stigma (perceived), professional stigma, and cultural stigma. For these reasons, I have provided some definitions to frame the discussion. In addition, recommendations exploring stigma targeted at underrepresented groups are discussed.
This editorial presents some of the sociocultural aspects of men’s acculturation to stigma related to mental health issues with emphasis on the influences of culture and traditional masculine norms. One of the areas where wide agreement among experts arose was the thought that stigma is an extreme barrier to those needing mental health treatment. Why is this? When defining the problem, the topic and role of stigma elicited responses from many of the experts invited to the Behavioral Health Aspects of Depression and Anxiety in the American Male (BHADAAM 1 Giorgianni & Brott, 2019) conference held by the Men’s Health Network. Mental health, particularly among men, has gained momentum in becoming the “other” silent killer. These statistics are troubling because they reinforce the notion that males are less likely to seek help and more likely than women to turn to dangerous, unhealthy behaviors.Įven with the various mental health treatment modalities available, there is a disproportionate difference between the number of males experiencing mental health disorders and those seeking treatment. Men are also two to three times more likely to misuse drugs than women ( Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, 2017). They also die due to alcohol-related causes at 62,000 in comparison to women at 26,000.
Men (79% of 38,364) die by suicide at a rate four times higher than women ( Mental Health America, 2020). Six million men are affected by depression in the United States every single year. Depression and suicide are ranked as a leading cause of death among men. However, mental health among men often goes untreated because they are far less likely to seek mental health treatment than women. The overall prevalence of mental illness in men is typically lower ( Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (, 2018). Although both men and women are affected by mental illness, it is oftentimes overlooked in males. One in five adults (an estimated 43 million people) experience a mental illness in the United States every year ( National Institute of Mental Health, 2019). Over a year ago, I had the privilege to sit along with 24 notable experts in mental and men’s health to discuss the behavioral aspects of mental health in the American male, particularly assessing depression and anxiety.