At the same time, academics are telling us that ‘we know far less about the psychological and physical health of men than of women.’ Why is this? Michael Addis, a professor of psychology and a leading researcher into male identity and psychological health, has highlighted a deficit in our knowledge about men suffering from depression and argues that this has cultural, social, and historical roots. If we look at whether gender affects how people experience depression, how they express it, and how it’s treated, it quickly becomes clear that gender has for a long time referred to women and not to men. According to Addis, this is because, socially and historically, men have been seen as the dominant group and thus representative of normal psychological health. Women have thus been understood as the nondominant group, which deviated from the norm, and they have been examined and understood from this perspective. One of the countless problems of this approach is that the experiences and specific challenges of the ‘dominant group,’ in this case men, have remained hidden. …”

Even in this day and age, there remains a mentality out there, albeit perhaps subconsciously: Men can take care of themselves, and boys are basically little men. It’s the same mentality that might explain why the book Childhood Disrupted was only able to include one man among its six interviewed adult subjects, there being such a small pool of ACE-traumatized men willing to formally tell his own story of childhood abuse. Could it be evidence of a continuing subtle societal take-it-like-a-man mindset? (I’ve tried more than once contacting the book’s author on this matter but received no reply.)

Furthermore, I’ve noticed over many years of Canadian news-media consumption that when the victims are girls their gender is readily reported as such; however, when they’re boys, they’re usually referred to gender-neutrally as children. It’s as though, as a news product made to sell the best, the child victims being female is somehow more shocking than if male. Also, I’ve heard and read news-media references to a 19-year-old female victim as a ‘girl’, while (in an unrelated case) a 17-year-old male perpetrator was described as a ‘man’.

Thank you, Shirley, for sharing the article. It a certainly a topic worthy if attention… and one I daresay many men wouldn’t discuss without prompting. I can’t speak for all men, of course, but based on the men’s groups I’ve attended over the years, there does seem to be a sense of loneliness and pain behind the bravado often demonstrated.

Thank you for your comment. Being a woman I can only imagine what it is like for men. I’m glad you added this helpful input. Shirley

Finanaces, relationships,bullying, unemployment all these life surviving factors are more or less interconnected and hardly discussed upon. When things are smooth its fine, however when life shows you ups and downs the imbalance in the above factors leads to depression and other issues.

I feel when things are fine, proper attention needs to be given to these life suruving assets and qualities. This attention needs to be given by family, work colleagues, friends, doctor etc. The process needs a change. Once the gaps in the process is addressed, m sure the result will also be more positive leading to decrease in this sort of action being taken by that particular individual.

To All, Dont lose hope ever…. Anyone who wants to talk… M here to listen as a listener always…