While mental disorders and conditions affect both men and women, men are less likely than women to receive mental health treatment. Some of the common symptoms include anger, irritability or aggressiveness and noticeable changes in mood, appetite or energy. More than six million American men suffer from depression each year, but male depression often goes undiagnosed. A recent study found that only 40% of men with a reported mental illness received mental health care services compared to 52% of women. The National Institutes of Health reports that men in the United States die by suicide at a rate four times higher than women. A mother in Maine is on a painful and personal mission to change these statistics. Angela Whitten carries memories of her son Trent with her everywhere she goes, including a tattoo on her arm of her son’s handwriting. “It says ‘Dear Mom, I love you Trent,'” Whitten said. Two years ago, Trent did his. life when he was 18.”I don’t think they know how to deal with a lot of those big emotions, and then if you throw in some mental health challenges like depression and anxiety, there are no words in our language to describe how I felt as a mother,” Whitten said. Her nonprofit organization Stay For Life works to save lives by specifically protecting men’s mental health.” health and breaking the idea that they can’t cry,” Whitten said. “They can’t show any kind of weakness or vulnerability or things like that.” The organization is still in its early stages but is already hosting events to raise awareness, handing out magnets, self-care reminders and recently launched peer to peer. On the clinical side, researchers are only now beginning to tease apart the biological factors that can influence mental health.” What men need to understand as best they can is that this is an illness that has taken hold of them, taken over their thinking, and twisted them. them, and it’s not really them,” said Sweetser’s medical director, Dr. Marc Kaplan. Kaplan said recognizing the signs that you or someone you love may have a mental disorder is the first step toward treatment. “It’s okay for a man who’s depressed to have the courage to tell someone about it. A lot of people are afraid to even think about having that conversation,” Kaplan said. Kaplan noted that while women have more reported episodes of depression, studies also show it’s because they are more likely to be diagnosed and receive treatment. Maine Crisis Line: 1-888-568-1112 (Voice) or 711 (Maine Relay) National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: People can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org NAMI Maine Helpline : 1-800-464-5767 (Press 1)
While mental disorders and conditions affect both men and women, men are less likely than women to receive mental health treatment.
Some of the common symptoms include anger, irritability or aggressiveness and noticeable changes in mood, appetite or energy.
More than six million American men suffer from depression each year, but male depression often goes undiagnosed.
A recent study found that only 40% of men with a reported mental illness received mental health care services compared to 52% of women.
The National Institutes of Health reports that men in the United States die by suicide at a rate four times higher than women.
One Maine mother is on a painful and personal mission to change these statistics.
Angela Whitten carries memories of her son Trent with her everywhere she goes, including a tattoo of her son’s handwriting on her arm.
“She says ‘Dear Mom, I love you, Trent,'” Whitten said.
Two years ago, Trent took his own life when he was 18 years old.
“I don’t think they know how to deal with a lot of those big emotions, and then if you throw in some mental health challenges like depression and anxiety, there’s no word in our language to describe how you feel as a mother,” Whitten said.
Her non-profit organization “Stay; For Life” works to save lives by specifically advocating men’s mental health.
“That’s all I want you to do is talk about men and their mental health and break the idea that they can’t cry,” Whitten said. “They can’t show any kind of weakness or vulnerability or things like that.”
The organization is still in its early stages, but is already hosting events to raise awareness, handing out magnets, self-care reminders and has recently set up peer-to-peer support groups.
On the clinical side, researchers are only now beginning to tease apart the biological factors that may influence mental health.
“What men need to understand as best they can is that this is a disease that has taken hold of them, taken over their thoughts and twisted them, and it’s not really them,” said Sweetser’s medical director, Dr. Marc Kaplan.
Kaplan said recognizing the signs that you or someone you love may have a mental disorder is the first step toward treatment.
“It’s okay for a man who’s depressed to have the courage to tell someone about it. A lot of people are afraid to ask a guy if he’s suicidal. They’re afraid to put an idea in their head. Research shows that It’s further from the truth that you have to have that conversation,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan noted that while women have more reported episodes of depression, studies also show it’s because they are more likely to be diagnosed and receive treatment.
Maine Crisis Line: 1-888-568-1112 (Voice) or 711 (Maine Relay)
National Suicide Hotline: People can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org
NAMI Maine Helpline: 1-800-464-5767 (Press 1)
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