Limpet Girl asks why we don’t talk about the mental health issues affecting men—those who are least likely to seek help and most likely to need it.
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I’ve wrestled with this. Whether or not to talk about, to admit to having, depression. And can I do it in a way that isn’t woeful and sad or induces head tilts and/or eye-rolling? It’s not much talked about, you see, still a taboo. Even now, in our accepting, open-minded 21st century of equal rights for (almost) all it’s still hard to get past the “mental” part of “mental health”.
As we all march into the 2015 hoping for health and happiness, at least 25% of us are in for disappointment. Over the next twelve months a quarter of the UK population will have problems with mental health, most probably anxiety and depression, the two big hitters of the mental health world. A quarter of the UK population. That’s about 16 million people, or roughly the same number of people who voted Conservative or Lib Dem at the last general election (although I am not saying in any way it is the same 16 million people).
It’s about the same percentage in the US for mental health problems generally with one in every ten people being affected by depression. Rates vary State to State with the highest incidence in the South. You might think that with women being affected at twice the rate of men that this is not a male issue. You’d be very wrong. And here’s why. Because more than 31,000 men committed suicide in the US last year. That’s THREE times the number of women who chose to end their lives.
Here are some more shocking statistics from healthline.com:
- 4% of adolescents will develop significant symptoms of serious depression each year in the United States. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among children and young adults aged 10 to 24
- For every 33 children in school, one child will have clinical depression.
- African-American and Hispanic populations have less access to adequate treatment for depression, such as psychotherapy and anti-depressant medication.
- African-American males are the least likely to obtain help for symptoms of depression, with over 90% not seeking any care.
- About 50% of all adults experiencing symptoms of depression will not talk to a doctor or seek help for depression.
And all this in a country where anyone can get their hands on a gun.
Depression and mental health issues are not just problems in developed countries. The World Health Organisation estimates there are more than 350 million people suffering from depression worldwide. Not surprisingly, war and disasters have a significant effect on mental health with rates doubling after crises and emergencies. Sadly, where the need for mental health services is highest, supply is often at its lowest. In low-income countries there is, on average 0.05 psychiatrists for every 100,000 people. In high income countries, like the UK and USA the rate is 170 times greater.
It doesn’t just affect adults. At any time, between 2 and 3 children in every Primary School class in Britain will have some form of clinically recognised mental disorder. Children from single parent homes are twice as likely to be affected by mental health issues. Children from lower income families, poorly educated parents or in social housing are also at higher risk.
So I think it’s time to start that conversation, to lay our cards on the table and talk about mental health, or as I like to call it… health. I am one of those 25%. I have depression and I don’t want it to be taboo anymore. Some chemicals in my brain just aren’t working properly and it can make me feel numb, crappy, tired, irritable, and a failure. Ok, I accept there are few folk out there who haven’t experienced those things at some time, but when it starts to impact on your ability to do normal things, that’s when it becomes a problem. When you don’t want to emerge from under the duvet, you don’t want to get in the shower, you don’t want to wash your hair or apply makeup, you don’t want to see people, you don’t want to answer the door to the postman because it may involve pretending to be cheerful for a few minutes, that’s when it becomes a big problem. Appearing to be normal can take a huge amount of energy, doing everyday things like cooking a meal for your children or going to the supermarket can seem almost impossible. I spend a lot of time sleeping and/or feeling almost nothing. Some days I just wish there was a “restore factory settings” button on my brain.
I fall into a lot of high-risk groups. Single parents are more at risk of depression and anxiety. As are the unemployed and those on a low income. There’s evidence that parents of children on the Autism Spectrum are also more likely to be affected. In that Venn diagram I am anchored firmly in the middle. I tick a lot of those boxes. I guess I need to thank my lucky stars I am also not an African-American male living in the Southern States of the USA with access to firearms.
But you don’t need to be in a high-risk group. Depression can affect anyone. Winston Churchill called it his “black dog”. Other sufferers include Ruby Wax, Catherine Zeta Jones, Gwyneth Paltrow, Owen Wilson… just Google “people with depression”, it’s quite a list. Some battle their demons and lose; Heath Ledger, Michael Hutchence, Robin Williams. In 2015, another 800,000 will commit suicide worldwide.
I think it’s a conversation worth having. Don’t you?
By Limpet Girl
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Photo: Flickr/Louis Sarabia