Breaking the Silence: Addressing Men’s Mental Health Crisis and Innovative Treatments
Mental disorders affect men and women. The prevalence of several mental disorders is lower in men than in women. However, other disorders are diagnosed at comparable rates for men and women or at higher rates for men, like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). There’s a tragic intersection of low rates of diagnosed depression and high rates of suicide and substance abuse among the U.S. male population. Men account for 75 percent of all suicide victims in the U.S., with one man taking his own life every 20 minutes. Around the world, men are 3 – 7.5 times more likely than women to take their own lives. This means men are more likely to die by suicide than women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Certain symptoms may also be more common in men than women, and the course of illness can be affected by a person’s sex.
Researchers are only now beginning to tease apart the various biological and psychosocial factors that may impact mental health.
Men are less likely to have received mental health treatment than women in the past year. Recognizing the signs that you or someone you love may have a mental disorder is the first step toward getting treatment. The earlier that treatment begins, the more effective it can be.
We often think of mental health as an individual issue – something that only affects the person suffering from a mental illness. But the truth is, mental health problems can have a ripple effect, impacting not just the sufferer but also their families, friends, and colleagues. Since men and traditional
thinking of masculinity put all the pressure on them, it is more likely for them to have issues.
Men and women can develop most of the same mental disorders and conditions, but they may experience different symptoms. Some common symptoms include:
● Anger, irritability, or aggressiveness
● Noticeable changes in mood, energy level, or appetite
● Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
● Difficulty concentrating, feeling restless, or on edge
● Increased worry or feeling stressed
● Misuse of alcohol, drugs, or both
● Persistent sadness or feelings of hopelessness
● Feelingflatorhavingtroublefeelingpositiveemotions
● Engaginginhigh-riskactivities
● Aches,headaches,ordigestiveproblemswithoutaclearcause
● Obsessivethinkingorcompulsivebehavior
● Thoughts or behaviors that interfere with work, family, or social life
● Thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts
Traditional societal norms position men to be the primary financial provider in the home. However, the decline in industries like manufacturing have left many men in certain regions unemployed, with women now as large a part of the national workforce as men.
The blurring of work and life in men is nothing new. It has been happening for generations, albeit at a much slower pace and has become more prevalent in this modern world. So much of a man’s sense of self-worth is linked to how much money he earns. This, combined with advances in technology, has made it so some people never really escape the office. Over time, this can cause great stress and lead to worse mental health conditions. This can lead to feelings of guilt and conflict when men try to balance their work and home life.
Ketamine, a non-competitive N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, is commonly used as an anesthetic and analgesic but has recently shown promising research in treating certain psychiatric conditions such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideation, and substance use disorder.
Ketamine alone has been shown to have an antidepressant effect within 40 minutes of administration with a single intravenous (IV) infusion in those with mental health problems, with maximum efficacy occurring at 24 hours post-infusion.
If you or someone you love has any questions or would like to discuss the benefits of ketamine therapy please contact us at Keystone Advanced Therapies. We would love to discuss your options and the benefits with you.
