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National Men's Health Week

Norwalk Reflector - 6/18/2020

Jun. 18--NORWALK -- This is National Men's Health week, a time to recognize men's health with a special focus on the importance of their mental health. It is reported that 6 million men are affected by depression in the United States every single year, however, men are less likely than women to seek help for depression, substance abuse and stressful life events due to social norms, reluctance to talk and downplaying symptoms they experience.

5 major mental health problems affecting men:

Depression: More than 6 million men suffer from depression per year and many go undiagnosed. Men are more likely to report fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in work and hobbies than feelings of sadness or worthlessness.

Anxiety: About 19.1 million adults ages 18 to 54 have an anxiety disorder.

Bipolar: 2.3 million Americans are affected by bipolar disorder; an equal amount of men and women develop the illness. Onset of illness for men is generally between 16 to 25 years of age.

Psychosis and Schizophrenia: 3.5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with Schizophrenia and it is one of the leading causes of disability. Ninety percent of the people diagnosed with Schizophrenia by the age of 30 are men.

Eating disorders: Men account for 10 percentof patients with anorexia or bulimia and an estimated 35 percent suffer with binge eating disorder.

Fast Facts: suicide and substance use:

--Male suicide has been on the rise since 2000 and is the seventh leading cause of death among males. Globally, on average, 1 man dies by suicide every minute of every day and according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, men died by suicide at a rate of 3.54 percent higher than women in 2017.

--Men are 4 times more likely than women to die by suicide in the United States.

--The highest rates of suicide in the United States are found in caucasian men over the age of 85.

--Depression and suicide are ranked as a leading cause of death among men, and yet they are still far less likely to seek mental health treatment than women.

--About 1 in 5 men develop alcohol dependency during their lives.

--The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism puts the annual number of men dying due to alcohol-related causes at 62,000, compared to 26,000 women.

--Men are also 2 to 3 times more likely to misuse drugs than women.

Risk factors that put men at higher risk:

--Social isolation

--Substance abuse

--Unemployment

--Military-related trauma

--Mood disorders

Four simple steps to reach out and help navigate a conversation with someone who may be struggling and need help:

ASK

Start by asking how he is feeling. It is worth mentioning any changes you have noticed such as, has he stopped replying to texts? Does he sound different on the phone? Use a prompt like, "You haven't seemed yourself lately and I am worried about you, how are you feeling?"

LISTEN

Give him your full attention. Let him know you are hearing what he is saying, and you are not judging. You do not have to diagnose problems or offer solutions, but asking questions lets him know you are listening. Ask a question like "That can't be easy, how long have you felt this way?"

ENCOURAGE ACTION

Help him focus on simple things that might improve how he feels. Is he getting enough sleep? Is he exercising and eating well? Maybe there is something in the past that has helped, it is worth asking the questions. Suggest that he share how he is feeling with others he trusts as well and if he is still feeling low after a couple weeks, suggest he seek professional help.

CHECK IN

Follow up your conversations with a phone call or FaceTime. This helps to show that you care and helps you get a feel for whether he is doing better.

Mental health does not discriminate and for men, it is not something to "toughen up and get over" as many are told. To address mental health in men, we must first address the stigma associated with asking for help. We must recognize that these are medical problems, there are effective treatments available, and there is hope.

If you think you or a loved-one may be experiencing signs of a mental illness, visit www.mhascreening.org to take a free, quick and confidential screen for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, PTSD, and/or Alcohol or Substance Use problems. You can also find more information and resources regarding men's mental health www.mhanational.org, www.mantherapy.org and https://us.movember.com/ .

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(c)2020 the Norwalk Reflector (Norwalk, Ohio)

Visit the Norwalk Reflector (Norwalk, Ohio) at www.norwalkreflector.com

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