Indore: Stereotype is hurting men’s psychological health, resulting in more suicides

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Stereotype is hurting men’s psychological health and resulting in more suicides. Stating this with citations from National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) endocrinologist Dr Abhyudaya Verma explained how hormones work for a man in a webinar organised by Create Stories Social Welfare Society on Sunday.

“Men means ‘strong’ and ‘tough’ and this traditional definition often roots into the toxic masculinity resulting in after-effects as extreme crime, depression and suicides,” he said. He cited that in 2020, divorce pushed 287 men to commit suicide.

“This is an inch over the number of women 264, who committed suicide for the same reason,” Dr Verma said. He added that there is a reason for many men committing suicide, which is lack of emotional outlet. “Testosterone's hormone also plays a role in your state of mind, including how well your brain works,” Dr Verma said.

He added that low testosterone has been linked with symptoms such as mood swings, increased stress, and depression. “Mood swings and anger in men can be concerning for everyone around them but may in fact be a sign of depression,” Dr Verma said. He urged people to work on removing stereotypes of strong men into human beings.

“Testosterone influences a wide array of abilities and behaviours, prompting fluctuations in llibido, health, cognition, and language. Testosterone doesn't only spur aggression - it can also inspire benevolent acts, as research suggests,” Dr Verma said.