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Men less likely to address mental health

Messenger-Inquirer - 10/10/2021

Oct. 10—While men are less likely to seek out mental health services than women or children, according to Lionel Phelps, vice president for continuous quality improvement with RiverValley Behavioral Health, he said that is beginning to change among younger generations.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one man dies by suicide every minute, and three out of four suicides cases are men, accounting for 75% of all cases.

According to the Depression Project, 40% of men will not talk about their mental health struggle, and 25% of men live with a mental illness.

"Men, somehow, are socialized to think that they can handle mental problems on their own," Phelps said. "I don't think they're less likely to be depressed. I think they're less likely to get assistance."

Some of the reasons men might be less likely to seek out mental health services, Phelps said, might be a fear of being perceived as weak.

In society, he said, men are considered fixers and are not expected to get emotional.

"I think they see it as a sign of weakness," Phelps said. "Men don't want to be perceived as weak or unable to handle or fix their own problems, but I tend to think they are just as prone to depression as women are. I Think that they're socialized to believe that they're supposed to have a good handle on their emotions and be able to fix the problem themselves."

However, Phelps said this is beginning to change among younger generations. He said there has been a lot of work to end the stigma surrounding mental health.

He said he sees this as a professional in the mental health field, as well as in the teaching field interacting with students on a regular basis.

"There have been so many initiatives to destigmatize mental health issues," he said. "I do think that the millennial generation is different. I do see where we're seeing a trend where younger millennials are not as shy about seeking assistance. They kind of know what they want, and that's true when we look at Telehealth."

He said just as many men, in the millennial generation, specifically, are seeking out mental health services through Telehealth as women.

This, he said, is likely due to better mental health awareness, as well as less gender stereotypes among younger generations.

"I see that, too, as a teacher," he said. "Males will contribute just as much and are just as understanding about how impactful mental health symptoms are. They don't seem to shy away from and dismiss it."

Anyone interested in seeking out mental health services with RVBH can do so by calling 270-689-6879.

Christie Netherton, cnetherton@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360

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