concerningMEN

The good news is that more men are seeking counselling and psychotherapy! Though statistically women seek therapy more often than men, the number of men using psychological services has increased in recent years.

From childhood, men seem to be at risk of some emotional and behavioural issues more than women. Some reasons for this may be biological in nature and some are certainly cultural. Boys manifest behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities in primary school more often than young girls. Boys are nine times more likely to suffer from hyperactivity and more than twice as likely to be disciplined in school than girls. Men have far higher rates of substance abuse and antisocial personality disorders than women. Compared to young women, young men are four times more likely to be victims of homicide and three times more likely to kill themselves. In the UK, the leading cause of death in males under 35 is suicide.

Men live under a code of masculinity that expects them to be: dominant, aggressive, high achieving, competitive, self-sufficient, adventure seeking, willing to take risks and emotionally restricted. Living up to these expectations can have a toll on emotional and personal well-being. As with psychological services, men are also less likely than women to seek medical advice for health-related problems. This is one of many factors why the average life expectancy for men is considerably shorter than for women.

Ironically, the very traits that are responsible for many male emotional and behavioural difficulties also make it much more difficult for men to admit they have problems, seek professional help, or have faith in treatment. Many men are reluctant to seek help for personal problems, feeling instead they should be self-reliant.

Although men can present a variety of problems in therapy, men generally tend to have certain issues more than others. Issues seen more often in men include:

• substance and alcohol abuse
• anger issues
• impulse control problems
• difficulties feeling or sustaining intimacy
• sexual problems, erectile dysfunction, loss of libido, infidelity
• sexuality concerns (gay or bisexual feelings)
• porn addiction
• mid-life crisis issues

In addition to these common concerns, men are also presenting issues of depression, self-confidence problems and career-related issues in therapy.

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