Over the years, mental health issues have become more prevalent due to social media, the stress/pressure of school, work, and extreme standards set for both men and women. In Kenya, the Ministry of Health estimates that one in every four Kenyans (about 11.5 million people) live with a mental health condition.
Depression is among the most common mental illnesses globally, affecting more than 1.9 million people in Kenya alone.
In the past decade, cases of suicide in the country have risen at an alarming rate of 58 percent with data showing that more men are likely to die through suicide than women.
Nowadays, society seems to believe that women are the only ones who experience mental illnesses. However, that’s not true.
Men experience similar problems and the fact that their issues are constantly overlooked is unacceptable.
Multiple factors contribute to this significant problem.
The main part of the issue is society’s fault, as we put an absurd amount of pressure on boys/men to hide their emotions and feelings. Some common ideals that have been continuously reiterated over the years are, “Boys don’t cry”; “Don’t be a girl”; and “Don’t be such a baby!”
These specific ideals can have a significant impact on boys. Boys grow up believing that they can’t cry or else they’re acting/behaving like a girl. As they grow up believing this ideology, they get to the point where they don’t feel comfortable expressing their emotions due to the potential reactions they will receive in return.
The idea that “Boys don’t cry,” traps them in a deep hole that is challenging to get out of and can often seem inescapable. Men raised in a system that promotes traditional masculinity have complicated feelings towards their own emotions. Often, they attempt to shut them off or avoid them completely.
The pressure that society puts on men to bottle up their emotions and feelings puts them in a tough situation as a result; they can’t even feel comfortable opening up to their own families. Not only that, but this idea can cause larger problems that lead to greater mental health struggles.
As a boy grows up hearing those phrases over and over, they can often tend to raise their own boys in the same way. This leads to a continuous cycle of toxic masculinity, which leads to a whole other world of problems.
The pressure to not express certain emotions, in fear of being called a girl or “too feminine,” or “weak” leads to mental health problems including depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts.
Another contributing factor is the fact that the media has contributed to society believing that women’s mental health is greater, or means more than men’s. Isn’t that the opposite of the goal we’ve been striving to achieve for the past century?
Nowadays, whenever the topic of mental health is discussed, it seems as if women/girls are the only ones who experience it. Of course, that statement is false.
Men’s mental health is not superior. Both men’s and women’s mental health are equal. At least, they’re supposed to be.
Both men and women need to join together, to combat mental illness, rather than as two separate groups. Overall, there needs to be more awareness of men’s mental health.
Finally, the stigma associated with struggling with mental illness. Stigma is a significant contributor to this problem because men fail to seek mental healthcare due to fear of stigmatization associated with mental illnesses. This is sad because with the right treatment and care, mental illnesses are treatable and recovery is possible.
Men’s mental health should not be overlooked. It is unacceptable. Ignoring this problem, it’ll continue to grow bigger and cause more issues later on in the future. People in society need to improve their knowledge of mental health, in order to understand a positive way of handling and how to behave around people struggling with mental health conditions.
You can help support this cause by standing up for men and women, as both of their mental health problems are valid and important.
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