June is Men’s Mental Health Month, at least according to some calendars (others say it’s November). Regardless, it’s always a good time to talk about mental health.
I’ll save you the trouble of asking the question my partner asked when I told him what I was working on—what do I know about men’s mental health?
I’m not a mental health professional or an expert on men’s health. Neither are most the readers I’m addressing in this article, men included, but I strive to be an advocate for everyone dealing with mental health issues.
And also…well…I’m not a man.
Here’s why I care: Men in my life, both friends and family members, have struggled with mental health issues, sometimes with devastating results. I’ve been on the receiving end of problems caused by mental health problems in the men I’ve cared about, and I’ve watched helplessly while someone I loved suffered. I work with men in my day job, and I train with men in the dojang. I care about their health and well-being as my friends and fellow humans.
The time is ripe to talk more openly about men’s mental health. Society has started to turn a more compassionate eye toward mental health, so let’s keep the momentum going and shine the spotlight in places that might be overlooked.
Mental Health America has the following statistics about men’s mental health:
- One in five adults in the United States report experiencing a mental health problem.
- 6 million men are affected by depression each year.
- Men are less likely than women to seek professional help for an eating disorder although males make up 10% of patients diagnosed with anorexia and bulimia.
- Suicide is the one of the leading causes of death for males, with a heightened rate of suicide attempts from gay males.
- More than four times as many men than women die by suicide.
- Male veterans experience nearly twice the rate of alcohol and drug abuse than women.
- Men are less likely than women to seek help for depression, substance abuse, and stressful life events due to social norms, reluctance to talk, and downplaying symptoms.
An article by the American Psychological Association details the complex issues surrounding Black men’s mental health, including systemic racism, and difficulty finding health providers of color.
Web resources from personal blogs to peer-reviewed academic journals explore the factor of mental health in male athletes, which is an especially important topic for the Martial Journal audience. Injury, stress, overtraining, disordered eating, and pressure to perform are contributing factors to depression and anxiety in male athletes. Martial Journal has several articles on injuries, martial arts-related stress, and mental health in the archives that are worth exploring.
So what is the martial arts community doing about it?
There are plenty of web resources touting the mental benefits of practicing a martial art. But are you seeing those benefits and support in your dojo, dojang, or other training area?
Last year I wrote a profile on my friend and fellow martial artist and writer Les Bubka, who runs the program Karate for Mental Health in the UK. Bubka said karate helped him with his own mental health so much that he started a grassroots organization to spread the positive benefits of martial arts to others. A year later, the organization is going strong, and Les has helped countless people.
While most of the martial arts instructors and black belts I know aren’t mental health professionals, we are in a unique position to positively affect the mental health of the boys and men who train with us. Sure, we can be strict and tough (it is martial arts, after all), and we can also be compassionate and develop the emotional intelligence to be aware of how our words and actions affect others. My former instructor adds, “How you treat your students in class stays with them after they leave.”
We can be someone to trust and confide in. We can make our training area a safe haven from the stressors of the world. We can listen and learn from our students and commit to making their training experience the best it can be. We can be supportive when someone is vulnerable and hurting.
This month, how can you do something positive for your own mental health and for those you encounter on the mat?
Men’s mental health isn’t only important to men or those who love them. It’s important to all of us. Together, we are stronger.
Melanie has worked in the healthcare industry since 2004 and lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
- Spotlight on Men’s Mental Health - July 2, 2023
- Building Resilience When You’re Feeling Stressed - March 29, 2023
- Seeking Authenticity? Look to Martial Arts - February 9, 2023
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