Men’s Mental Health

There is still a huge stigma surrounding mental health. Mental health can feel like a taboo subject for men living in Dubai yet 77% of men report experiencing mental health symptoms. Mental health symptoms can often be ignored and only addressed once they become unmanageable. Men should not have to suffer alone with their mental health and by talking to a mental health professional, symptoms can be improved.

In the Arab Youth Survey 2019, one-third of respondents aged between 18 and 24 personally knew someone experiencing a mental health issue.

The majority of the people who complete suicide are men. The number one cause of death of men over the age of 45 to 49 in the UK is suicide. 

WHY MEN'S DON'T TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH?

  • Fear of shunning or shame
  • Taboos surrounding mental health
  •  Toxic masculinity & socialisation
  •  Vulnerability seen as a weakness
  • The impact on their friends and family  
  • Stigma surrounding mental health and suicide
  • Stigma surrounding accessing mental health support  

“I’ve struggled with these feelings personally and found it difficult to open up to anyone about it, because in this Dubai, mental illness is often perceived as shameful. Additional pressure comes from knowing that expressing emotional issues leads to being shamed by their loved ones and the wider community.”

experiences