Recession takes health toll

The recession is having a serious impact on men's mental health, a new survey has shown.

The survey of 2,000 men, from the UK National Association for Mental Health group Mind, found that almost 40% of men felt low and worried about money and job security.

Almost twice as many men as women drank alcohol to cope with feeling down (16% of men compared to 8% of women), the survey found. And almost twice as many men as women admitted to getting angry when they are worried.

The report also found that men found it difficult to ask for help or talk about their problems.

“The image of the tough, resilient male who hides emotion is deeply ingrained in society and may affect men’s help-seeking behaviour,” the report said.

When men did feel able to seek help we found that men’s groups, anonymous support and online information were helpful, the Mind survey added.

Paul Farmer, chief executive at Mind, said: “The recession is clearly having a detrimental impact on mental health, but men in particular are struggling with the emotional impact.

“Being a breadwinner is something that is still crucial to the male psyche so if a man loses his job he loses a large part of his identity putting his mental wellbeing in jeopardy.

“The problem is that too many men wrongly believe that admitting mental distress makes them weak and this kind of self stigma can cost lives.”

For more, visit the Irishhealth.com Depression Clinic.

[Posted: Mon 11/05/2009]