#Men comprise some 80% of all #suicides with #depression being a component of the majority of them. #Depression among #men is rising, fast, yet current psychotherapy treatments typically fail to differentiate between what works best for each sex. This must change if we want to keep #men mentally fit — and alive!
Every 13.7 minutes a #man takes his life somewhere in the U.S. #Depression is present in at least 50% of these #suicides, according to Canada’s Centre for #SuicidePrevention.
That’s because we appear to have #depression all wrong.
#Men and #women view the world very differently; their brains are literally wired differently.
And this means #men and #women also suffer from #depression in different ways.
There was a time when the #AmericanPsychologicalAssociation (#APA), the organization responsible for accrediting #psychologists in the U.S., appeared open to the idea of “#male-based #depression.”
Back in 2005, the APA noted that those in the #psychological community were “coming to think that the traditional signs of #depression (sadness, worthlessness, excessive guilt) may not represent many men’s experience of a depressive period.”
Unfortunately, not long after, the “sex is a construct” narrative started gaining traction, and the APA began denying that differences between the sexes actually exist.
Soon after, the APA decided to label qualities associated with traditional masculinity as “psychologically harmful.”
Having effectively turned its back on #men, is it any wonder that the current system is so ill-equipped to help the #men of #America?
For most of its history, the esteemed #AmericanPsychologicalAssociation treated #male and #female #mentalhealthconditions with distinction; that all changed once pressure mounted to end the focus gender differentiations.
Which brings us back to the idea of “#male-based #depression.” Adam Lane Smith, a licensed psychotherapist who specializes in treating both #men and #women, says that #male #depression tends to revolve around feelings of helplessness and powerlessness.
“#Men need the ability to change their environment, create an impact that lasts (a legacy), and to either stop their pain or make it have purpose,” he explained.
They are less interested in having their feelings validated, and more interested in finding a solution.
They want answers, and they want them now.
#Female #depression, on the other hand, “tends to center around feeling unloved or feeling useless to the people they love,” Smith noted. “#Women need to feel cared for, appreciated, and helpful.”
#Veteran #therapist Adam Lane Smith says #men are seeking the ability to change the world around them from therapy; they want solutions — and they want them fast.
For #men, feeling unable to positively affect their environment appears to be the prelude to deep #depression.
“First,” said Smith, “they start feeling helpless in these areas, that they can never get out of these negative feelings.”
Then, after some time, he added, the “suicidal feelings set in.”
Smith words are particularly troubling because the rate of #male #depression is now rising so dramatically.
For #men seeking therapy, their key concerns are feelings of uselessness and being a burden to loved ones; they’re not necessarily looking to simply feel better.
Some 75% of psychology graduate #students are #female.
This is one reason why therapy is failing #men.
#Women, on the other hand, want therapy to help them feel more loved and connected with the world around them; this dichotomy helps explain why so many #men are being failed by conventional therapy.
Another reason is that most therapy sessions center around making #men feel better, “more loved and more connected,” Smith notes.
However, the vast majority of the time, he said, #men feel powerless, “so making them feel loved while still powerless makes them feel like more of a burden, not less of one.”
In other words, we are trying to treat #male-based #depression using #female-oriented approaches.
And this is likely making #male therapy #patients feel even worse.
Which begs the question: What, if anything, can be done?
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
One of the biggest challenges in properly treating #male #depression is the paucity of #male #therapists; some 75% of psychology graduate #students today are #women.
First and foremost, the time has come for the broader psychology community to reverse course and recognize that biological differences exist – both for the physical body and the immaterial mind. “
A one-size-fits-all approach is…[not] going to turn the tide against the #suicide epidemic, the drug epidemic, or any other #mentalhealth-based issue currently growing worse,” Smith explains.
To get #men out of their rut, they must not only be made to feel better, but actually achieve impactful and meaningful results.
This should be the end game of any #mentalhealthtreatment.
Because to truly address #male suffering, we must first accept the idea that a #man’s pain often looks nothing like its #female counterpart.
If you are struggling with #suicidalthoughts or are experiencing a #mentalhealthcrisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 #NationalSuicidePreventionhotline at #988 or go to #SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
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James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
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