21 Men’s Mental Health Quotes to Mark Men’s Mental Health Month
A long history of stigma around mental illness permeates every level of our society and culture. According to the CDC, most aspects of our lives, including our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, are impacted by our mental health. You or a loved one may even have received a mental health diagnosis.
Men’s and boys’ mental health is frequently forgotten when discussing general mental health. We must acknowledge how patriarchal demands and conventional gender norms exact a terrible toll on mental health as we try to increase awareness and acceptance of mental health.
Accessing mental health resources can seem to go against stereotypes for men, who have been urged their entire lives to "man up" and "be tough." But in recent years, there has been increased activity and awareness around the issue of men's mental health.
Considering this, let’s explore the data on men’s mental health. International Men's Day, observed on November 19th, makes November Men's Mental Health Awareness Month, and it aims to raise awareness of various problems affecting men's health.
Men’s Mental Health
Despite having a substantially higher risk of attempting suicide than women, surveys worldwide reveal that men find it challenging to talk openly about their mental health. Anyone dealing with mental health issues may find it intimidating and uncomfortable to discuss their problems with anyone.
More and more famous and influential men are sharing their struggles as the conversation around mental health has become more mainstream. Speaking out is more crucial than ever because depressing statistics indicate that men are much more likely to experience severe mental illness than women.
The impact of the pandemic on mental health is beginning to even out across gender differences, according to Michael Thompson, president, and CEO of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, a partner in the Mental Health Index. Although men may have experienced less environmental damage over the past eight months, their lack of proactive coping skills may catch up with them as the pandemic continues.
According to research, men with mental diseases are less likely than women to have sought mental health therapy in the previous year. And involvement in workplace wellness and mental health initiatives reflects a related reality. The incidence of depression in men has increased by 154% since the pandemic, prompting increased efforts to involve male employees in workplace mental health initiatives.
Work and Men’s Mental Health
Work and the workplace significantly affect employees' mental health either favorably or unfavorably. According to Mind, 32% of men have experienced a mental health issue or poor mental health due to work. Additionally, only 12% of males have talked to a professional about their work-related stress, even though 66% experience it and 13% feel it is overwhelming.
Few reasons why men suppress their mental health problems:
Societal Pressure: Men are still expected to support themselves and their families, and any problems with their mental health may be interpreted as signs of weakness. It is partially due to how guys have been treated since a young age. For example, boys are frequently instructed to internalize their problems and, historically, weren't trained to be honest about their emotions.
Toxic Masculinity: The toxic terminology used to describe men's mental health, such as "weeping like a girl," invalidates how someone may feel and implies that it is a sign of weakness if they cannot deal with their feelings quickly and silently.
The stigma: Many guys succumb to the myth that they must be "strong enough" to handle all of their issues on their own. They fear they will lose their position of power by seeming weak, even in the face of physical disease.
These sayings have the power to permeate our belief systems and change how we perceive and understand the world for the rest of our lives. I'm curious to know how many of the men who committed themselves did so because they believed they could not seek help and instead sought to complete an unachievable task like "manning up.”
Here is the list of 21 Mental health quotes to support and inspire men to care for their mental health.
21 Mental Health Quotes to Inspire Men
And hence, to encourage anyone who needs to hear it during Men's Health month this November, I've compiled a list of inspirational quotes for men who experience mental health difficulties. These quotes will remind you that you're not alone and can get through whatever you're facing.
- You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you." — Dan Millman.
- “Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all.” – Bill Clinton.
- "I think it’s really important to take the stigma away from mental health… My brain and my heart are really important to me. I don’t know why I wouldn’t seek help to have those things be as healthy as my teeth." —Kerry Washington.
- I believe the biggest stigma right now with mental health is that a lot of men are not talking about it.- Mauro Ranallo.
- “Regardless of who you are or what you do for a living or where you come from, it doesn’t discriminate. We all kind of go through it.” – Dwayne ‘The Rock Johnson.
- “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.” – Fred Rogers.
- “The heart of man is very much like the sea; it has its storms, it has its tides, and in its depths, it has its pearls too.” – Vincent Van Gogh, artist.
- “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” – Albert Einstein, scientist.
- “A man may conquer a million men in battle, but one who conquers himself is, indeed, the greatest of conquerors.” – Buddha, a spiritual figure.
- “First find the man in yourself if you will inspire manliness in others.”– Amos-Bronson-Alcott, teacher and philosopher.
- “It takes more courage to reveal insecurities than to hide them, more strength to relate to people than to dominate them, more ‘manhood’ to abide by thought-out principles rather than blind reflex. Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles and an immature mind.” – Alex Karras, athlete, actor, and author.
- “Shoutout to all the men going through a lot, with no one to turn to, because this world wrongly taught men to mask their emotions.” —Unknown.
- “Men suffer a lot behind the mask of manliness.” —Vineet Aggarwal.
- “Since that day [I opened up about my emotions], it’s just been so much easier to live and so much easier to enjoy my life.” —Michael Phelps.
- “I’m a man, and no less of a man for admitting ‘I’m not okay,’ and for openly talking about the constant struggle and battle I face with myself every single day.” —Joe Plumb.
- “Nothing in the affairs of men is worthy of great anxiety.” – Plato.
- “Give yourself a break. Stop beating yourself up! Everyone makes mistakes, and has setbacks and failures. You don’t come with a book on how to get it right all the time.” – Les Brown.
- “Mental illness can happen to anybody. You can be a dustman, a politician, a Tesco worker… anyone. It could be your dad, your brother, or your aunt.” – Frank Bruno.
- “I deserve to have peace. I deserve to be happy and smiling. Why not me? I guess I give so much of myself to others I forget that I need to show myself some love too. I think I never really knew how. I’m scared, I’m sad, I feel like I let a lot of people down, and again, I’m sorry. It’s time I fix me. I’m nervous, but ima get through this.” - Kid Cudi.
- “Coming back from depression, I identified with Prospero and his melancholy and downcast state. Through the power of imagination, he improves his condition, and so that’s what I did as a composer….We all get depressed from time to time, but the suffering from clinical depression is unimaginable. I guess I’m proof that you can get help and go on. ”- Paul Moravec.
- “Ultimate vulnerability. That’s manly.” – Cameron Conaway, cage fighter.
Stats and Facts
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In high-income nations, men commit suicide at a rate three times higher than women, according to a 2018 World Health Organization (WHO) report.
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According to data from 2018, "Men die by suicide 3.56 [times] more often than women" in the United States.
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Furthermore, according to data cited by the community-based group Mental Health America, over National Institute of Mental Health 3 million men in the United States and over 6 million men in the country experience anxiety issues each year.
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Despite these startling numbers, males are less likely than women to have gotten official mental health support in the last year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
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Men of color and men from various racial and cultural backgrounds have particular difficulties while trying to maintain their mental health.
Conclusion
Even with recent advances in understanding, mental health stigma still exists, and mental health is frequently misunderstood. During men's mental health month and throughout the year, sharing quotes is a simple way to encourage men to be mentally healthy at work and a covert method to show support for coworkers dealing with mental illness.
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