BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) – June is National Men’s Health Awareness Month.
The goal is to raise awareness about mental health, as men are less likely to seek help than women, and therefore more likely to suffer from more severe problems.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, more than 6 million men suffer from depression each year. More than 3 million men in the United States suffer from panic disorder, agoraphobia and other phobias, and 2.3 million Americans suffer from bipolar disorder, although an equal number of men and women develop the illness.
The age of onset in men is between 16 and 25. Schizophrenia is one of the leading causes of disability in the U.S. Approximately 3.5 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with the disease, and 90% of those diagnosed by age 30 are men.
“Men tend to bottle up their emotions until they reach a breaking point, which can be counterproductive and self-destructive,” says Joseph Marzano, PhD, of Advanced Counseling Solutions.
There are effective treatments for mental illness, and while it can be difficult for men to seek help, experts say leaving it untreated will only make the situation worse.
Regular activities like exercise, eating well, and sleeping well can improve your mental health.
“It’s also a sign of strength to admit that you’re struggling with something. Admitting that you need help with something has not always been something that men have been encouraged to do,” Marzano said.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please seek help immediately: call 911 or call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
