November 18 is International Men’s Day. A day when we can highlight and discuss some of the issues facing men and their mental health.
Both men and women suffer from mental health problems. However, the way they respond is often very different. Men are less likely to seek help and more likely to downplay their symptoms than women. them too five times more He suffers from alcohol abuse and dependence.
The good news is that men have become more open to asking for help when needed over the past 10 years. Scan by MIND It found that men are about as likely to see their GP as women if they feel weak and three times more likely to see a therapist compared to 2009.
This progress is positive, although there is still a long way to go. More research is needed to find effective ways to support men’s mental health and reduce the risk of premature death for seriously ill men.
suicide prevention
3 out of 4 suicides are by men, with men aged 40-49 Highest suicide rates in the UK. The reasons for this are varied and difficult to fully define.
We need to find a solution, which is why MQ supports research in suicide prevention, such as HOPE projectwhich aims to develop a model to predict who is at risk of suicide by analyzing brain scans and data to identify global risk factors.
Dr. Aidan Maguireand his team from Queen’s University, Belfast, are in the midst of discovering whether access to a handgun increases suicide risk. It’s been proven in the US, but in the UK – where laws and culture differ greatly – no research has been done to understand if it could be the same. Aydin’s innovative study has the potential to support vital new ways to prevent the tragedy of suicide.
alsoProfessor Rory O’Connorfrom the Suicidal Behavior Research Laboratory in Glasgow, It has been proven The telephone support program effectively reduces recurrent suicide attempts.
You can read more about MQ’s work on Prevent suicide here.
Physical and mental health
People with serious mental illnesses die on average 15 years earlier than the general population. This is not only due to suicide but also due to the common illness of both physical and mental health conditions.
For example, heart disease is the leading cause of death in men, and people with heart disease are more likely to develop depression, and vice versa as well.
MQ also supports files Research conducted by Dr. Ghulam Khandeker at the University of Cambridge In the links between depression and heart disease. Gollam’s team has already identified inflammation as a link and is now testing whether an anti-inflammatory treatment can be used for depression.
digital therapies
A barrier for some men to accessing treatments is the idea of discussing their feelings with someone. While many men will receive and benefit from talking therapies such as CBT, for many, there is still a stigma attached to discussing their mental health, which prevents them from seeking help.
in Mind . survey22% of men said they would be more likely to seek information and support online, while 15% said they would be more likely to seek help if they remained anonymous.
Using digital technologies can be the solution for anyone, male or female, who feels uncomfortable talking face-to-face or who struggles to get help.
Professor Collette Hirsch of King’s College London, an MQ researcher, has developed a new program Evidence-based intervention for anxiety and depression, which uses cognitive bias modulation for interpretation (CBT-I) delivered in short, accessible sessions. With the help of MQ, Colette is now looking at ways this treatment can be delivered via a mobile app.
MQ researcher Dr Jane Wilde from the University of Oxford also uses innovative ways to deliver services PTSD Interventions through the SHAPE Recovery Program. This intervention was specifically designed to treat PTSD symptoms in healthcare workers and has had a 90% success rate in reducing symptoms in early trials. Now this intervention, delivered over the phone and on a flexible schedule, is being tracked on both sides of the world by the Ambulance Service in London and in Sydney, Australia.
With your help, we can do more
If you like it MQ work supportThere are many ways you can do this. You are You can participate in the research By volunteering to study here or Take on the fundraising challenge Like running 10k or skydiving here.
By supporting MQ Mental Health’s research, you can help better understand the mental health challenges that both men and women face, and find effective ways to treat them and eventually prevent them altogether one day. #WithoutResearchItsJustGuesswork
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