The State of Men’s Mental Health: How Naturopathy Can Be A Safe Space
Trigger warning: this blog discusses suicide, death, and mental health issues like depression and loneliness - please check in with your self before engaging with this content.
Men face significant inequalities and unique challenges where their mental health is concerned and subsequently face worse health outcomes compared to the general population. The statistics are shocking - it’s reported that suicide is the leading cause of death among men aged 15-44 years. In 2022, it was found that males who died by suicide lost on average 34.9 years of life. The state of men’s mental health also seeps into other areas of men’s health, whereby men are disproportionately affected by preventable, premature causes of death.
While societal norms and stigmas have historically discouraged men from seeking help for mental health issues or encouraged us as a society to ‘brush off’ the issues men face, it's essential to recognise that the issue spreads far wider than this. Today we’re opening up the conversation, breaking down the stigma, and discussing how naturopathy can be a safe space for all men.
Gender norms created by society about ‘masculinity’, and the ways in which our healthcare system responds to and perpetuates these norms, have a profound impact on the lived-experiences and health outcomes of men. Men suffer a greater burden of disease, largely from preventable health conditions, and stigma serves as a critical barrier to men’s mental health. Traditional gender roles often emphasise stoicism, self-reliance, and emotional control in men. These perceived norms discourage men from expressing vulnerability or seeking help, whether it be from healthcare professions or their peers. Some research has even shown that some men report vulnerability as being more anxiety-inducing than death. These traditional ‘masculine’ norms drive men to perceive themselves as ‘weak’ or ‘a failure’, both personally and professionally. Additionally, young boys are more likely to be raised in a context that demands they ‘stop acting like a little girl’ or ‘toughen up’. This setting teaches them to suppress their problems and further associate them with weakness.
Social isolation and loneliness are persistent barriers to men’s mental and physical health and have been linked to premature death. A survey by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that 18% of men aged 35-44 years reported experiencing social isolation. This drives both poor health behaviours and poor health outcomes. While loneliness causes significant emotional distress, it is also a substantial factor in physical health. It is linked to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, weakened immune function, and even premature death. For men who may already feel societal pressure to be emotionally self-sufficient, the effects of loneliness can be particularly challenging to address.
It’s also understood that men are more likely to engage in unhealthy lifestyles and risky behaviours including smoking, being physically inactive, drug and alcohol use, and making poorer nutrition choices. It’s interesting to note that men also have poorer health literacy overall, which is associated with not only poorer health choices, but lower rates of utilising preventative health care services, delays in diagnosis and treatment, and higher rates of chronic disease. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics demonstrates that 26.5% of men delay seeing a GP. Furthering this, that stigma we discussed earlier is often perpetuated in health care settings whereby male GPs have been shown to adhere to ‘traditional masculine norms’, impacting patient-practitioner relationships and devaluing the experience of men.
This conversation is especially relevant when we’re considering sexual orientation and gender identity, with data showing that 91% of transgender men in Australia have considered suicide in their lifetime. Transgender men are also at a higher risk of discrimination, rejection, and poorer access to healthcare, all of which drive the poorer health outcomes among this population.
Whilst it’s important to have these conversations, it’s also equally important to ask: what can be done to support men?
Naturopathy takes an individualised, person-centred approach. Aside from covering all of the basics like personalised nutrition, lifestyle, and herbal support, stress management, sleep hygiene, gut health and so on, naturopathy creates an empowering environment for men. By creating a safe space for men to show up, we welcome vulnerability and therefore proactive, preventative health care.
One of the very principles that naturopathy is built on is docere, or doctor as teacher. This principle means that naturopaths should guide their patients - educating them, empowering them to make informed decisions about their health, and strengthening their health literacy. This approach may help to bridge the gap men experience in health outcomes.
Additionally, naturopathy demonstrates excellent results for specific health issues men may face such as erectile dysfunction, low libido, and hormone imbalances. There are a plethora of functional testing pathways as well as herbs and nutrients in our tool kits to address these issues. And whilst it’s entirely based on the person in front of me, some I often reach for include tongkat ali, tribulus, saw palmetto, damiana, zinc, Korean ginseng, magnesium, acetyl-l-carnitine, and essential fatty acids.
Naturopathy also has incredible tools for mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and chronic stress. Approaches here can include nutrients and herbs to support the nervous systems such as saffron, withania (also called ashwagandha), Korean ginseng, liquorice root, zinc, magnesium B vitamins, and l-theanine. We can also implement realistic lifestyle interventions to encourage self-care, relaxation, and interaction with their peers and community. Additionally, we can support patients in seeking care from other practitioners, including doctors, physical therapy practitioners, and mental health practitioners.
To address male mental and general health effectively, it's vital to break the stigma associated with seeking help and to deconstruct the societal pressures placed upon men. Encouraging open conversations about mental health and promoting a supportive environment can make a significant difference in ensuring men prioritise their mental and physical well-being. Naturopathy provides a comprehensive approach to supporting men’s health, offering both a safe, judgement-free space and individualised solutions.
If you need immediate support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Additional resources:
13YARN is an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line - call 13 92 76
MensLine Australia is a free telephone and online counselling service offering support for men — call 1300 78 99 78
Qlife provides free, anonymous LGBTQIA+ support - call 1800 184 527
And if you’re looking for a practitioner on your side, Marissa and Kelly are here
