Overcoming barriers to men seeking mental health support

Today is International Men's Day and in recognition of that, this article will explore some of the barriers men face in seeking help for their mental health and what we can do to overcome these barriers.

For each one, I will provide some suggestions. Some of these will be relevant to practitioners, others to friends, others to society at large.

It is important to acknowledge that each person is unique. When we talk about "men" we are talking about a hugely diverse group. But there are some common patterns and this article attempts to articulate those.

Structural barriers

One of the biggest and most obvious barriers is cost. Men are typically the main wage earners which means they often have access to money.

However, being the main wage earner can also mean it is more difficult to take time off to attend therapy as it would mean missing work. As this work is often done to provide for their family, it can feel selfish to take time away from it.

What can we do? Offering flexibility around appointment times can help men fulfil their work commitments and seek the help they need. Highlighting that ignoring the issue is beneficial in the short-term but harmful to one's self and one's family in the long-term can also help bring some perspective.

Expectations of therapy

Many men are uncomfortable talking about their feelings and assume that therapy will be entirely focused on these difficult interpersonal conversations.

What can we do? While therapy does ultimately deal with feelings there are different ways to do this. For example, Solution-Focused, spends little time talking about problems and more time building on an individual's strengths.

Traditional views of masculinity

Some men belief that seeking help appears weak and that it is better to solve problems by themselves.

What can we do? Many men would have no problem working with a personal trainer and so making a comparison can sometimes be useful. Highlighting other men seeking help can normalise the experience. Peer support groups, especially men's groups, can provide mutual support.

Limited emotional expression

Traditional gender stereotypes often discourage men from expressing their emotions (with the notable exception of anger) and therefore strip them of the emotional vocabulary that some therapies require.

What can we do? Be warm, encouraging and validating when men speak about their experiences. For men in particular, speaking more openly about our own feelings can encourage others to do so.

Lack of male therapists

Some men may feel like a female therapist could never understand their problems. For such individuals, having a male therapist can be useful. Unfortunately, this is not always possible due to the gender imbalance in counselling.

What can we do? Challenge ideas around female therapists not being able to understand. Develop greater understanding of the issues men face within the counselling community. Train more male therapists.