# Silent Crisis



## David Baxter PhD (Mar 27, 2004)

Silent Crisis
Male mental health problems are going undiagnosed
Azadeh Samadi - Imprint

The mental health situation of males is being called a silent crisis. According to communityvoices.org, studies of depression show a major increase in depression among men. Traditionally, women suffer depression more often than men. 

The greatest evidence of male vulnerability is in suicide statistics. Among Canadians of all ages, four of every five suicides are male. 

Additionally, when it comes to chronic disease, men are slightly more likely to get high blood pressure or cancer, and twice as likely to consume more than five alcoholic drinks a day. 

According to the Toronto Men's Health Network (TMHN) one reason for the increasing male depression rate is the low priority given to men's health issues in the research community. More funding and more experts in this area will support continuing research of male mental health. 

Male and societal attitudes have fostered the silence about male depression. 

"The women's health movement was very self-directed," said Dr. McCreary, co-chair of TMHN, associate editor of the International Journal of Men's Health and one of a small handful of men's health researchers in Canada. 

"Women banded together to work on problems with health delivery. Men don't want to do that. We have a culture in our society that men have to be tough; men have to be strong. Our society is very good at punishing gender deviation in men. Weakness is not considered to be masculine." 

...more of this article


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