Find out how to spot the signs that somebody may be struggling with mental health and learn about the behaviors that are more commonly found in men than in women.

Mental Health America says that more than 6 million men in the U.S. experience symptoms of depression each year, and more than 3 million experience an anxiety disorder. In the UK, 40% of men have never spoken to anyone about their mental health - 29% say they are 'too embarrassed' to talk about it, while 20% say there is a negative stigma on the issue.

This situation may be escalating since the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey carried out across 115 countries with over 12 million adults highlighted the scale of the mental health crisis among men, including reported feelings of depression and anxiety, as well as worries about food insecurity and household finances. The report was published in the British Medical Journal in April 2022 and called for a unique and gendered response to meet men’s needs.

Results showed that on average across countries, 37% of men reported feelings of depression and 34% reported feelings of anxiety. Prevalence was markedly higher among younger men and also varied substantially between countries. Reported feelings of depression, for example, ranged from 18% in Denmark to 64% in Turkey.

Worryingly, in high-income countries, three times as many men as women die by suicide, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report from 2018.

How to spot the signs that somebody may be struggling with mental health

In many cases, men and women experience the same things when struggling with their mental health. If you're concerned you or someone else might be suffering from mental health issues, you could look for these common signs and symptoms:

• Persistent sense or worry
• Overwhelming feelings of sadness 
• Withdrawal from friends and family
• Difficulty concentrating 
• Feeling tired or fatigued 
• Physical symptoms like shortness of breath or headaches 

While many of these symptoms are universal, some signs are more common in men than they are in women, including:

• Substance abuse
• Anger and irritability
• Working obsessively 
• Sleep problems
• Reckless behaviour 

Where to seek help

• Your doctor is a good starting point to find out about mental health services in your area.
• Teva’s Life Effects is also a useful resource for mental health information and patient stories for audiences in Europe and the US.
• In the UK the Mental Health Foundation charity offers information and advice on how to look after your mental health based on evidence and the lived experiences of real people. It also provides details on services and organizations offering help and support.
• In the US the National Institute of Mental Health offers mental health information and provides crisis numbers.

At Teva, we care about our colleagues’ mental health

Teva is strongly committed to supporting wellbeing in the workplace and hosts four themed wellbeing weeks every year for our colleagues around the world. This year, our men’s wellbeing events included a drop-in coffee morning where men could come together to talk about mental health and a talk from a representative at suicide prevention charity Andy’s Man Club. A new preventative mental health app is also available for free to Teva employees.

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