Men and mental illness: Let's talk

BRAMPTON – The Walnut Foundation took aim at facts, myths and stereotypes surrounding mental health at their annual symposium on men’s health last weekend and it seems many men just don’t want to talk about it.

The day-long event – hosted at Century Gardens Recreation Centre last Saturday by the men’s health support foundation – touched on many elements of the modern mental health landscape, but focused mostly on men’s mental health in a society where the do-it-yourself, ‘tough guy’ mentality remains prevalent.

“I think (men) like to believe they’re tough and not soft, and that hard exterior is one that we, as a culture, have really promoted and not made it easy for men to talk about their health,” said Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey, on hand to launch the event.

“It’s kind of like the old adage that they don’t like to ask for directions, they don’t like to ask for directions about their health either,” she added.

Stereotypes are rarely a good starting point but, in this case, The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) seems to agree, pointing out that, while 20 per cent of Canadians will suffer from mental health issues at some point in their lives, statistics say that women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression.

According to CMHA staff facilitator Alison Pryce, those numbers emphasize diagnosis and do not reflect the whole story.

While Pryce says that gender-specific issues such postpartum depression play a role in the figures, she says it’s not that men are naturally less inclined to depression, they’re simply less inclined to talk about their symptoms with others.

“Women are actually more likely to just go to their family doctors in general and get checked. And when they go to their family doctor they are more likely to disclose things like ‘I’m feeling stressed out’ or ‘I’m having trouble at work or with my kids,"” said Pryce.

“Men are more likely to just say everything is fine,” she added.

While postpartum depression is not something men experience, other known causes of depression such as genetics, physical and chemical factors, substance abuse, traumatic events, psychological and social factors are not gender-specific.

“There are a lot of (programs) focusing on women and children, but not necessarily on men,” said event organizer and Walnut Foundation founder Dr. Winston Isaac.

“Men do not demand enough of the healthcare system. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Women are not afraid to ask and demand more of the system and everybody has a soft spot for kids … So, men have to take responsibility and be more demanding so the system will look at them,” he added.

Isaac created the Walnut Foundation in 2007 with the aim of providing men a safe environment in which they could seek out healthcare information and support, in an effort to be responsible for their health and well-being.

“It can make it easier to open up when you are talking to other guys who have gone through the same things you have,” said Tony Bayer, who shared his experiences with mental illness at the event. “It’s pretty powerful when the guy sitting next to you is telling your story and you figure out you’re not the only one.”

Isaac believes that promoting men’s health needs to start with youth awareness.

“Many times when we’re young we (think we) are invincible and think nothing is going to happen to us. But, I think there are some things – like (the impact) of family history – that if we can make young people more aware of them, will make them more open and willing to talk about issues like screening and early detection,” said Isaac.

      

 

 

 

     

Men and mental illness: Let"s talk