MADISON, Wis. – Over the past several years, the discussion around men’s mental health has improved. But there is still work to be done on the matter, not just in Dane County, but across the state.
June is Men’s Mental Health Month, a time dedicated to breaking the stigma around the issues. Stereotypes and stigmas surrounding men’s mental health have plagued men for years.
“These stereotypical expectations of this tough male persona and that we can’t struggle or we have to be strong. And I think that inevitably sets people up for failure when they are struggling,” said Peter Devries, a physiatrist for Rogers Behavorial Health.
As for the state of Wisconsin, more men have been seeking mental health care in recent years. Dane County followed that trend as well.
“I think that men have become more open to acknowledgment, especially acknowledgment in community,” said therapist Alwyn Foster.
However, there is still work to be done. According to a study by Public Health Madison and Dane County, non-Hispanic white men are more likely than other races and ethnicities to die by firearm suicide. Some contributing factors include being less likely to seek mental health care, and more likely to isolate themselves.