Every year in the United States, more than 6 million men are affected by depression and are four times more likely than women to die by suicide, according to Mental Health America (MHA).
Men and mental health, however, are not always synonymous, and many men will tell you it’s because of a stigma.
“One of my earliest memories of it is being a child at one of my grandparent’s funerals and crying,” recalled Matt Catlin. “And being told that I can’t cry because I’m a boy.”
In 2004, Catlin, who has a background in nursing and social work, served a tour in Iraq with the New York Army National Guard. The 41-year-old has been tested mentally.
“It’s a fluid experience,” Catlin explained. “It really depends on where my capacity is, how heavy and how many factors I’m fighting again in my life at the time.”
Catlin is not alone.
Experts say depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and eating disorders are among the leading mental health challenges plaguing men across the country.
According to MHA, more than 3 million men have a panic disorder; 90% of the people diagnosed by age 30 are men; and men account for an estimated 10% of patients battling anorexia or bulimia, and 35% of those with a binge-eating disorder.
“We live in a world where that feels like there is a lot of disconnection from one another,” Catlin said.
Having experienced these unique hurdles in life, Catlin was in search of not only helping himself, but others.
“Locally, in my community, I struggle to find resources,” he said.
That’s when he stumbled upon a men’s mental health wellness meetup, facilitated by the Albany-based nonprofit Noteworthy Resources.
“We don’t want to assume that just because someone is speaking that they need to hear something in return,” Catlin said. “Sometimes, people just need a platform, they need to say out loud, they need to hear themselves more than they need to be heard by somebody else.”
Having recognized the benefits of these meetups almost immediately, Catlin became more involved and was recently tapped to lead the initiative.
“As I began to prioritize it more, it just kept feeding more and more of the connection that I needed,” Catlin explained. “And the support that I felt, like, I was kind of lacking in my community and life.”
During Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, Catlin is encouraging all New York men to recognize the challenges they may be facing and to find an outlet.
“Just continuing to fight,” he said. “That’s the most important thing. Finding some type of connection and holding onto it even when you feel alone.”
If you need immediate medical assistance, please dial 911. To access the free Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, dial 988.