Mental Health of Men in America
Men in America are in a crisis in our present times. Despite all the attention the media and society gave to Mental Health month in May there so far has been far less attention paid in June which is Men’s Mental Health Month.
The week of June 13-19 is the a weed that is dedicated to Men’s Mental Health. I think it is first to get some facts straight.
1. There are 100 million adult American Men.
2. 6 million men suffer from depression. Which is 6% of the adult male population.
3. An estimated 19 million American adult men between 18 and 54 have an anxiety disorder; roughly 20% of the adult male population. 3 million American adult men have a panic disorder or some other kind of phobia; roughly 3% of the adult male population.
4. About 5.8 million adult American men suffer from a severe form of mental illness such as Bipolar Disorder, Psychosis, and Schizophrenia. A leading cause of disability. 90% of all people diagnosed with schizophrenia by the age of 30 are men.
5. Males make up an estimated 10% of the patients with anorexia or bulimia, and 35% of those have binge eating disorders. Men with eating disorders are less likely to seek professional help.
6. Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death among males. Accounting for 2.5% of all deaths among men, the same as Alzheimers and almost a full percentage point lower than chronic liver and kidney diseases. LINK
7. Men die by suicide at a rate that is 4x that of women. Almost 70% of the suicide deaths in 2020 were by white males with the highest rate among middle aged white males. Firearms accounted for 52% of al suicide deaths. LINK
8. Approximately 20% of adult men will develop a dependency for alcohol at some point in their lives.
9. Low levels of testosterone are correlated with depression, stress, mood swings, and poor mental health.
10. Men are far less likely to seek professional help than women.
Proclamations are just pieces of paper that Government people sometimes issue. Usually nobody in the public reads them; but that’s not really the point. The point is to add it to the historical record that you as an elected official were aware of this problem.
In recent years California has failed to acknowledge the growing problem of men’s mental health by issuing these resolutions and proclamations. By my research I see that California has not recognized Men’s Mental Health Week by a proclamation since Arnold was Governor in 2009 and I just graduated college and was interning in the legislature. (I could be wrong about this, but I don’t feel like digging through the Senate/Assembly and Governor archives online to dig it up.)
Also the excuses that might come from California for this slip up are invalid, I was there in the legislature during that time and there was 0 money available for anything and Mayor Steinberg and Karen Bass had to convince Senator Moldanado to vote for a budget by “bribing” him with the job of Lt. Governor. Even with all that going on the Governator found the time to issue a proclamation recognizing Men’s Mental Health Week.
Here is Michigan’s proclamation that can be used next year by the state of California to recognize Men’s Mental Health Week.
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June 13-19, 2022 and June 2022: Men's Health Week and Month
June 01, 2022
WHEREAS, despite advances in medical technology and research, men continue to live an average of five years less than women, with Native American and African American men having the lowest life expectancy; and,
WHEREAS, every person should be able to reach their full health potential, without barriers linked to race or ethnicity, gender identity, education, income, location, or other social factors; and,
WHEREAS, men are less likely to seek help for depression, stress, and substance abuse than women, and Middle-aged people, especially men have the highest rate of suicide in the U.S. compared to other groups, and men ages 85 and older have the highest rate of any group in the country, according to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) https://www.samhsa.gov/suicide/at-risk; and,
WHEREAS, educating the public and health care providers about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and early detection of male health problems can result in reducing rates of mortality from disease; and,
WHEREAS, men who are informed about the value that preventative health practices can play in prolonging their lifespan and ensure their ability to care for their self and family will be more likely to participate in health screenings; and,
WHEREAS, fathers who maintain a healthy lifestyle are role models for their children and have happier, healthier children; and,
WHEREAS, Men’s Health Network worked with Congress to develop a national men’s health awareness period in efforts to help educate men, boys, and their families about the importance of positive health attitudes and preventative health practices; and,
WHEREAS, the Men’s Health Month website has been established at www.MensHealthMonth.org which features resources, proclamations, and information about awareness events and activities, including Wear Blue Day (www.WearBlueDay.com); and,
WHEREAS, Michigan Men’s Health Month focuses on a broad range of men’s health issues, including heart disease, mental health, diabetes, and prostate, testicular, and colon cancers; and,
WHEREAS, Michiganders are encouraged to increase awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, and medical checkups;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim June 13-19, 2022, as Men’s Health Week and June 2022 as Men’s Health Month in Michigan.