What do Terry Bradshaw, Larry Sanders, and Jim Piersall have in common? In addition to being athletes who were once at the top of their game, they’re among the nearly 16% of men in the United States who have a mental illness. Here are the seven most common mental health issues for men today.
1. Depression
Depression is a condition that causes persistent negative feelings and thoughts. Men with depression often lose interest in things they once enjoyed and feel tired and irritable. Depression impacts more than six million men in the United States each year.
2. Anxiety
Anxiety is a general term for mental health issues that causes persistent feelings of stress or worry. These feelings may occur for no particular reason or may seem disproportionate to a situation. They are often so pervasive that they make it difficult to focus on other aspects of daily life. Panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and phobia are the most common anxiety conditions impacting men.
3. Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder causes extreme mood swings. People with this condition experience elevated emotional highs and very deep emotional lows. As people teach young boys to regulate their emotions, men often deny they have the condition or delay seeking treatment. Misdiagnosis is also common, as men may only report the lows, which physicians may confuse with depression.
4. Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that distorts reality. People with schizophrenia may have hallucinations, disordered thoughts, or delusions which can severely impact their daily lives. Men make up 90% of Americans diagnosed with schizophrenia by the age of 30.
5. Eating Disorders
An eating disorder is a mental health condition that causes unusual, unhealthy eating behaviors. People with anorexia avoid eating. People with bulimia try to expel the food they eat from their bodies through purging, fasting, or using laxatives. A binge-eating disorder causes people to eat excessive amounts of food during binges, then feel ashamed of their behavior. Men account for roughly 10% of people with anorexia and bulimia. They account for around 35% of people with binge-eating disorders.
6. Substance Abuse Disorder
Substance abuse disorder describes the misuse of potentially harmful substances, such as narcotics, prescription medication, and alcohol. Around one in five men abuse alcohol during their lifetimes. Gay and bisexual men are more likely to have a substance abuse disorder than straight men.
7. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an inability to move past trauma, such as an accident or abuse, in a healthy way. People with PTSD experience may have flashbacks or recurring nightmares that force them to relive their trauma. Situations, people, or sounds that remind them of the traumatic event can also trigger people with PTSD.
Mental health issues can impact all facets of a man’s life, but help is at hand. Counseling is one of the best ways to manage mental health issues for men, as it can help them understand their condition and learn coping strategies. Contacting a counselor can be daunting, but it can be the first step in minimizing the impact of common mental health issues.
