Raising awareness for men’s mental health

BOWLING GREEN, KY.- Dr. Steven Patton, the medical director of community outreach at Norton Healthcare, tells us, “Unfortunately, I still think we lead. And the suicide rates, I think about 80% of men, are the leading cause of suicide. I mean, now women would probably say have higher diagnosis of depression, but, man, I actually, the ones that are committing suicide.”

Mental health challenges don’t just happen. It’s something that can develop over time. If you know someone navigating difficulties within their mind, or if you are facing obstacles, expressing the challenge may look different for everyone.

Dr. Patton also says, “Men typically show more aggression, anger, or irritability. More so. And then you can also see it in a riskier behavior. So you might want to look for drug use or over alcohol consumption, gambling, sex addiction, things in that nature that can be a representation of something is overflowing rather than asking them directly.”

Josh Shaw, the director and therapist at Park Place Recovery Center,  says, “In general in society, I think it’s important for us to know that men can be, or do need help at times. I think it’s important to know that they’re not going to express it we had to take a little more time when it comes to men, and understand that society in general has made us believe that we have to be the ones to be the strong.”

More information can be found by contacting Lifeskills or your doctor.