{"id":42154,"date":"2023-03-12T13:44:45","date_gmt":"2023-03-12T17:44:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/?p=42154"},"modified":"2023-03-13T11:56:34","modified_gmt":"2023-03-13T15:56:34","slug":"toxic-masculinity-and-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/toxic-masculinity-and-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Toxic Masculinity: 4 Ways It Affects Men&#8217;s Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/toxic-masculinity-and-mental-health\/#What_is_Toxic_Masculinity\" title=\"What is Toxic Masculinity?\">What is Toxic Masculinity?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/toxic-masculinity-and-mental-health\/#Effects_of_Toxic_Masculinity_on_Mens_Mental_Health\" title=\"Effects of Toxic Masculinity on Men&#8217;s Mental Health\">Effects of Toxic Masculinity on Men&#8217;s Mental Health<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/toxic-masculinity-and-mental-health\/#1_Pressure_To_Conform_To_Societal_Expectations\" title=\"1. Pressure To Conform To Societal Expectations\">1. Pressure To Conform To Societal Expectations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/toxic-masculinity-and-mental-health\/#2_Challenges_On_Relationships\" title=\"2. Challenges On Relationships\">2. Challenges On Relationships<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/toxic-masculinity-and-mental-health\/#3_Coping_with_the_Effects_of_Toxic_Masculinity\" title=\"3. Coping with the Effects of Toxic Masculinity\">3. Coping with the Effects of Toxic Masculinity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/toxic-masculinity-and-mental-health\/#4_Negative_Impact_On_Emotional_Expression\" title=\"4. Negative Impact On Emotional Expression\">4. Negative Impact On Emotional Expression<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/toxic-masculinity-and-mental-health\/#Final_Thoughts\" title=\"Final Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>There&#8217;s been a lot of talk about toxic masculinity over the past few years. Setting aside the politics associated with that term, let&#8217;s talk about it through the lens of mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Social and cultural expectations can pressure men to conform to certain ideals, such as the image of a strong, tough, dispassionate man who asserts his male dominance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These masculine standards have been linked to increased anxiety, depression, and other psychological issues among men, making it essential to have this conversation. In light of the immense harm done to men&#8217;s well-being by toxic masculinity, we figured writing a <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/how-to-start-a-mental-health-blog\/\" title=\"blog\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">blog<\/a> post about it would be helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-1.jpg\" alt=\"Toxic Masculinity: How it Affects Men's Mental Health\" class=\"wp-image-42156 lazyload\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-1.jpg\" alt=\"Toxic Masculinity: How it Affects Men's Mental Health\" class=\"wp-image-42156 lazyload\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-1-300x450.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-1-750x1125.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-1-150x225.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-1-480x720.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Toxic Masculinity: How it Affects Men&#8217;s Mental Health<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Toxic_Masculinity\"><\/span><strong>What is Toxic Masculinity?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Toxic masculinity encompasses many attitudes and behaviors, including bullying, violence, authoritarianism, misogyny, and a lack of empathy. Meanwhile, toxic masculinity has many manifestations beyond observable aggression and stereotyping.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Frequently, it manifests itself in subtle ways that you might not even notice. Toxic masculinity can manifest in various settings, including social encounters, academic institutions, and the workplace. For example, a man with <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link \" data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/category\/mental-health\/\" title=\"mental health\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">mental health<\/a> issues may feel that he should &#8220;act like a man&#8221; rather than seek help from a therapist.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These harmful characterizations can affect a man&#8217;s physical and emotional health and may even discourage him from getting medical help when needed. For instance, this could potentially impact individuals who depend on <a href=\"https:\/\/assurance.com\/health-insurance\/how-to-get-private-health-insurance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">individual health insurance<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Toxic masculinity can keep men from obtaining the medical treatment they need, although many insurance plans cover preventive exams and screenings. As such, males may have to pay more for healthcare and experience more severe health problems in the future.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"lazyload\" title=\"What is Toxic Masculinity? Everything You Need to Know\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zz3---QG22Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">What is Toxic Masculinity? Everything You Need to Know. Courtesy, YouTube.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Effects_of_Toxic_Masculinity_on_Mens_Mental_Health\"><\/span><strong>Effects of Toxic Masculinity on Men&#8217;s Mental Health<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>All too often, toxic masculinity manifests itself in the examples we have mentioned above. These factors increase men&#8217;s vulnerability to developing mental health problems that can have far-reaching consequences for their well-being.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following are some potential effects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Pressure_To_Conform_To_Societal_Expectations\"><\/span>1. <strong>Pressure To Conform To Societal Expectations<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Truth be told, men do get criticism when they don&#8217;t conform to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/shelleyzalis\/2019\/01\/22\/the-future-of-masculinity-overcoming-stereotypes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gender stereotypes<\/a>, such as when they are vulnerable, soft, empathetic, sad, modest, or declare themselves to be feminists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, a fascinating collection of studies from 2015 found that people regard male leaders as less capable, competent, and confident when they seek assistance. Men are also thought to be of lower status when they expose a weakness at work and make themselves appear helpless. That&#8217;s an issue since it leads to less growth and more blunders if you don&#8217;t ask for help when you need it or recognize your own weaknesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What&#8217;s more, studies have shown that males who display grief at work are judged less favorably than women who do the same. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/news\/study-men-are-more-emotional-than-women-at-work-140811061.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/news\/study-men-are-more-emotional-than-women-at-work-140811061.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">research <\/a>published in 2013, men who cry on the job are seen as more sentimental and less capable than women who cry in the workplace.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, in contrast to women, males who cry in reaction to performance feedback are rated by the feedback provider as weaker performers, less likely to be promoted, and less capable than women who react the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many additional contexts exist where males are expected to behave a certain way because doing otherwise might harm their image. If they act in a way that is contrary to what is considered &#8220;standard&#8221; in their society, they may face backlash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Challenges_On_Relationships\"><\/span>2. <strong>Challenges On Relationships<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Toxic masculinity has adverse effects on interpersonal <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link \" data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/category\/relationships\" title=\"relationships\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">relationships<\/a>, especially romantic ones.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can get in the way of your intimate connections, ability to share your feelings with your partner, and even your capacity to feel those emotions. For example, showing vulnerability in a romantic relationship is essential for developing trust, ensuring security, and experiencing a deep connection on different levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Couples that are able to listen to one another, show empathy for one another, and talk about how they&#8217;re feeling are more likely to have a happy relationship. Unfortunately, few of us learn these qualities through our families or the larger society.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result, if a man&#8217;s feelings are hurt by something, he may find it difficult to express them without appearing across as furious, aggressive, or assertive, which can have serious impacts on their capacity to communicate and form intimate bonds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Coping_with_the_Effects_of_Toxic_Masculinity\"><\/span><strong>3. Coping with the Effects of Toxic Masculinity<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Toxic masculinity makes it difficult for men to see their situation clearly, but a competent mental health expert can make a difference. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/mental-health\/therapy-for-men\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Counseling<\/a> can help men overcome mental health issues, improve relationships, and make positive life adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, males need to have a network of people they can turn to for emotional and practical assistance, such as friends, family, and peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To supplement these, it can be highly beneficial for men to discover a stress-relieving hobby or pastime that provides a new focus when things feel too much. It could be learning a new skill, working out, reading, producing music, or cooking. When you feel emotionally weighed down, you can turn to these activities without risking your physical well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Negative_Impact_On_Emotional_Expression\"><\/span>4. <strong>Negative Impact On Emotional Expression<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Men in the United States are more prone to take their own lives than women because they are less open about their emotions or admit vulnerability.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Men&#8217;s mental health suffers when they repress their feelings, disregard their emotions, or reject their more feminine qualities. Following societal norms that tell men to &#8220;tough it out&#8221; and refuse help from others can exacerbate mental health problems, promote estrangement from friends and family, and result in poor coping abilities when dealing with stress or difficult emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To address these issues, it&#8217;s crucial to instill in boys and young men of all backgrounds the notion that it&#8217;s normal to show their feelings. Boys and men must learn to recognize and communicate their emotions, which must transpire in classrooms and at home.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking a compassionate, non-judgmental approach can help people overcome their fears and concerns about <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link \" data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/category\/therapy\/\" title=\"therapy\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">therapy<\/a> and mental well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts\"><\/span><strong>Final Thoughts<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many men were raised with the concept that they should be tough and fearless, and they often feel compelled to conform to society&#8217;s standards of &#8220;manliness.&#8221; B<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ut as we learn and discuss more about toxic masculinity and its negative consequences on society, men are starting to resist these traditional views on masculinity and strive to value their overall state of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-uagb-section uagb-section__wrap uagb-section__background-color uagb-block-540ad93d\"><div class=\"uagb-section__overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"uagb-section__inner-wrap\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-call-to-action uagb-block-73105e3b wp-block-button\"><div class=\"uagb-cta__wrap\"><h5 class=\"uagb-cta__title\">Private Practice  with No Overhead and No Shortage of Clients.<br><\/h5><p class=\"uagb-cta__desc\">Join\u00a0the more than 34,000 full and part-time therapists who are earning more with BetterHelp! Supplement your income, or build your own practice from scratch. Bonuses &amp; Incentives for High Performers! <strong>Sponsored Advertisement<\/strong><\/p><\/div><div class=\"uagb-cta__buttons\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hasofferstracking.betterhelp.com\/aff_c?offer_id=20&amp;aff_id=1614\" class=\"uagb-cta__button-link-wrapper wp-block-button__link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Join BetterHelp<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As characterized by cultural gender norms, toxic masculinity is the unhealthy concept or representation of what it means to be a man.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":42157,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ub_ctt_via":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[28,358,884],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","author_link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/author\/randy-withers\/"},"modified_by":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health.jpg",800,450,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-150x84.jpg",150,84,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-750x422.jpg",750,422,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health.jpg",800,450,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health.jpg",800,450,false],"tiny":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health.jpg",60,34,false],"thumbnail-medium":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-480x384.jpg",480,384,true],"thumbnail-square":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-480x450.jpg",480,450,true],"thumbnail-portrait":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-480x450.jpg",480,450,true],"thumbnail-large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Toxic-Masculinity-How-it-Affects-Mens-Mental-Health-720x450.jpg",720,450,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","author_link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/author\/randy-withers\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"As characterized by cultural gender norms, toxic masculinity is the unhealthy concept or representation of what it means to be a man.\u00a0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42154"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}