Toxic Masculinity and its Effects on Mental Health

THE THING THAT FRUSTRATED AND CONFUSED AND ANGERED ROSS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE WAS THAT HE WAS WAITING FOR THERAPY AND WAS PUT ON A WAITING LIST FOR SIX MONTHS.

WE HAVE NO ANGER IN OUR HEARTS.

WE HAVE NO BLAME, BUT WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY SOMEONE WHO'S EFFECTIVELY TERMINALLY ILL IN THE SAME WAY THAT HE MIGHT HAVE HAD TERMINAL CANCER, WAS PUT ON WAITING LIST FOR SIX MONTHS.

IT IS SO TRAGIC.

I CAN OBVIOUSLY HEAR YOUR PAIN AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TELLING THE STORY, BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND SO MANY MEN OUT THERE ARE IN THIS TERRIBLE SITUATION FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.

I WANT TO ASK ANDREW REINER, WHO HAS WRITTEN THIS BOOK, I MEAN, YOU CAN HEAR MIKE'S STORY, YOU CAN HEAR WHAT HAPPENED TO ROSS, BUT THE STATISTICS THAT ARE QUOTED IN THE BOOK, IN THE UNITED STATES SUICIDE IS A STATISTICALLY FAR HIGHER KILLER OF MEN THAN WOMEN IN EVERY AGE GROUP, ACCORDING TO THE CDC.

SUICIDE RATES IN MEN ARE JUST OVER TWICE AS HIGH AS FOR WOMEN ACCORDING TO OUR DATA.

YOU'VE BEEN STUDYING THESE ISSUES.

WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST AND HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THESE HUGE SPIKES WHEN IT COMES TO MEN AND SUICIDE NOW, TODAY?

I JUST WANT TO SAY FIRST OF ALL I'M SO VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.

AS THE FATHER OF A SON, THE PAIN IS UNIMAGINABLE.

I CAN'T EVEN FATHOM IT.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY TODAY BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT STORY FOR US OF WHO WORK WITH BOYS AND MEN AND WHO HAVE CHILDREN.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE PANDEMIC IS THAT THE PANDEMIC REALLY, IT'S PULLING BACK THE CURTAIN ON A MASSIVE PROBLEM THAT'S ALREADY THERE.

A LOT OF TIMES WHEN IT COMES TO BOYS AND MEN WITH DEPRESSION ESPECIALLY AND TO SOME EXTENT ANXIETY, BUT MORE DEPRESSION, WE TEND TO DOWNPLAY IT.

IT'S TRUE IN THE STATES.

IT'S TRUE IN THE U.K.

AUSTRALIA ARE ALSO LEADING THE WAY WITH A LOT OF RESEARCH AS WELL AS THE U.K.

BUT WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS IS THAT WE TEND TO THINK THAT THE RATES OF DEPRESSION HISTORICALLY YOU COULD EASILY GO ON AND GOOGLE DEPRESSION IN MEN AND WOMEN AND MUCH OF THE INFORMATION YOU WILL FIND SAY THAT WOMEN EXPERIENCE IT AT A RATE OF 2-1.