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Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Men are survivors of patriarchy and toxic masculinity. Don’t show emotions, don’t cry; this is not a man’s job," is what they have heard since childhood. Following the trails of patriarchy and fulfilling the demands of toxic masculinity takes a toll on their mental health. It is high time that we start talking about it- said city psychiatrists
The not-so-much-talked-about Men's Mental Health Awareness Month is ending on Friday. The Free Press interacted with the city psychiatrists to learn about the major mental health issues among men. In Bhopal, the most common mental health-related disorders that are diagnosed among men are depression, anxiety, substance abuse, addiction, and mood disorders.
Among these disorders, many issues are co-morbid, like anger and isolation issues. The city has logged more than 600 cases of these in just one month. In most cases, these disorders are co-morbid,especially substance abuse and alcoholism, which trigger irritability and anger issues among males.
Men's mental health is a neglected topic
Dr.Satyakant Trivedi, a senior consultant psychiatrist, said, "Men's mental health is a very neglected topic. But we need to understand that fulfilling the expectations that patriarchy put upon men takes a toll on them as well. I get hundreds of cases every month where men are diagnosed with many disorders."
Substance abuse is a major issue
Dr. Ruma Bhattacharya, Consultant psychiatrist, said, "Anxiety in men is very common; fear is very common; today only I got around nine patients. Alcoholism is common too. Co-morbidities in men are very common, especially with substance abuse. If they are depressed, they start drinking or taking any other substance. Men do talk about their issues; they seek help too. They might not talk to their spouse or family about their problems, but they do talk."
