Harmony is dedicated to supporting your mental health. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, we encourage you to reach out for immediate support through your local crisis services by dialing 988, contacting your local emergency services, or visiting your local emergency room.
When men are raised with messages equating masculinity and strength to silence or emotional restraint, it can make it challenging for them to recognize their feelings or seek help. This often leads to emotional pain remaining unspoken and unresolved for years. Over time, this can result in unhealthy coping strategies, social isolation, anger issues, strained relationships, or behaviors that may harm themselves or their loved ones.
Only 41.6% of men in the U.S. with mental illness receive mental health treatment.1
Harmony promotes mental wellness for men, including gender-diverse and LGBTQIA+ communities. We provide inclusive, personalized support to anyone who courageously seeks help.
Recognizing barriers to men’s mental health
Many people who identify as men experience depression, anxiety, or chronic stress, but often don’t seek professional help. This may be due to unrecognized symptoms, a lack of awareness about what constitutes emotional or mental distress, cultural or generational views on masculinity, or masking behaviors like substance use. Additionally, men often have limited social support when it comes to addressing their mental health.
Unrecognized symptoms
Signs of poor mental health are often mistaken for “everyday stress.” Men might feel tired, irritable, restless, or experience physical discomfort without recognizing these as potential symptoms of depression or anxiety. Because these signs don’t always align with the common perceptions of mental health issues, they are frequently overlooked or dismissed as harmless.
Mental health awareness
Many men are not taught to recognize emotional challenges. They might mistakenly believe mental health issues only stem from “Big T trauma”, which refers to major, life-altering events such as a violent attack, a natural disaster, or PTSD from combat. In reality, everyday struggles often come from what is sometimes called “little t trauma”, which includes experiences like ongoing job stress, grief from losing a loved one, or the end of a relationship. Both types of trauma can affect mental health and deserve attention.
Generational or cultural beliefs about masculinity
Baby Boomers and Gen X often shy away from therapy because of the stigma that has surrounded it for years. Many men in these generations were raised to believe that seeking therapy was a sign of weakness or that emotional struggles should be dealt with alone. For men in LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, barriers like discrimination, trauma, and mistrust in the medical system can make accessing affirming care even more challenging.
Harmony recognizes the value of culturally sensitive, identity-focused treatment and is dedicated to providing inclusive care for both cisgender and gender-diverse individuals. Promoting men’s mental health awareness involves redefining the concept of strength and fostering a clearer understanding of mental and emotional well-being.
Insufficient social support for mental health care
When men do not have people in their lives with whom they feel comfortable being open and vulnerable, they may miss opportunities for important conversations. Supportive relationships often provide perspective, encouragement, and gentle reminders to check in on one’s well-being. Without these connections, it can become more difficult to notice changes in mood, behavior, or stress levels. Over time, the absence of trusted support can leave someone feeling isolated, which may make it harder to take the first step toward seeking care.
What does men’s mental health really mean?
Good mental health isn’t about being happy all the time. It’s about managing life’s highs and lows, understanding and processing your emotions instead of ignoring them, and seeking help when necessary. Mental health changes over time and is shaped by a mix of biological, social, and psychological factors. Life transitions, physical health challenges, social pressures, discrimination, family dynamics, and the quality of your relationships all contribute to your mental well-being.
Being able to manage stress effectively without heavily relying on substances, having a few close people in your life to confide in, and maintaining the energy and focus to handle daily responsibilities are strong signs of overall balance. For many men, this also includes feeling confident in their roles at work, within their families, and in life overall.
Signs of mental wellness in men
You feel emotionally balanced most of the time
This doesn’t mean you’ll never feel stressed, but it does mean you’re less likely to feel overwhelmed, angry, sad, or numb without a clear reason or for long stretches of time. It’s perfectly normal to experience a wide range of emotions. What’s important is being able to recognize and process those feelings without resorting to unhealthy extremes, like shutting down, forcing yourself to “just get over it,” or becoming completely consumed by them.
Your sleep and appetite are regular
Difficulty falling or staying asleep, along with a loss of appetite, could be early indicators of depression or emotional distress.
You’re able to focus, and your attention is steady
When your attention feels steady, it can reflect that your mind has the room to stay engaged with tasks, conversations, and goals. If you find your focus drifting frequently, whether in work, school, or daily life, it may be a sign that your mind is asking for care and support.
You feel a sense of connection
Loneliness is a growing concern for men of all ages and can lead to various physical health issues, making it crucial to stay connected. Simple actions like sending a text to a friend or meeting up for coffee can go a long way in easing feelings of isolation.
You practice healthy coping
Some men may rely on coping mechanisms like alcohol, overworking, stress-eating, or taking risks to deal with pain. While these behaviors might appear “normal” or socially acceptable, they can often hide underlying mental health issues.
Mental health, like physical health, can fluctuate over time. Seeking support when needed is completely normal. At Harmony, our therapists develop care plans tailored to each client’s unique circumstances, environment, identity, and values.
Mental health conditions commonly experienced by men
Although mental health conditions impact people of all genders, men often exhibit unique patterns that affect how these conditions are experienced and managed. The most common mental health conditions among men include the following:
- Depression: Often overlooked in men, this condition may appear as irritability or a tendency to withdraw from others.
- Anxiety disorders: Generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and social anxiety can impact men, often showing up as restlessness, trouble sleeping, or physical tension.
- PTSD: PTSD in men is often experienced by veterans, first responders, and survivors of violence. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness, and increased irritability.
- Anger and impulse control issues: Unmanaged anger or difficulty controlling impulses, though not a formal diagnosis, may indicate underlying mental health issues such as trauma, depression, or high levels of stress.
Identifying these conditions early and pursuing personalized treatment can greatly enhance your quality of life and the well-being of your loved ones.
When men lack the support they need
When people think about mental health issues like depression, they often picture symptoms more commonly linked to women. However, while women may experience sadness or tearfulness, men are more likely to show signs such as anger, irritability, physical tension, social withdrawal, and low motivation.
Bottling up emotions can lead to unresolved grief, anger, or anxiety, which may harm your relationships over time. These unresolved feelings can also affect your work performance and your role as a partner or parent.
When men neglect their well-being, it affects their partners, children, coworkers, and close friends. Prioritizing treatment helps protect and strengthen the relationships and things that matter most.
Personalized therapy for your needs
Many men are hesitant to try therapy because they picture an experience that feels unnatural to them. Stereotypes about therapy often lead them to imagine lying on a couch and immediately diving into deep, emotional memories. For some, this idea of intense self-exploration can feel uncomfortable. While opening up may work for certain people, it’s not the only approach.
Therapy is adaptable and practical, tailored to your needs. It can help with setting goals, reducing stress, improving sleep, or addressing a specific relationship challenge.
At Harmony, we work to make care accessible by accepting most major insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare, so you can focus on your well-being without added barriers.
Start your mental wellness journey with Harmony today
In 2022, men committed suicide at a rate four times higher than women.2 If you or a loved one is struggling, seeking help before reaching a breaking point is essential. Harmony provides therapy, psychiatric medication management, and advanced treatments like NeuroStar® TMS and Spravato®, available at our multiple locations throughout West Virginia.
Our team of therapists and psychiatric providers is dedicated to working with adults from all backgrounds and identities, delivering inclusive and personalized care. We treat everyone who comes to us as a unique individual, not just a client. Our mission is to ensure you feel valued, understood, and fully supported.
Take the first step to break the stigma and build a better future, not just for yourself but for other men. Call Harmony at 304.410.0082 for more information about our services.
For new clients, please click here to schedule an appointment. For existing clients, please click here and find your office location to contact your office directly.
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