It’s unquestionable that our societal attitude to mental health has changed over the past decade.
According to the latest National Attitudes to Mental Illness Survey, since Mind’s campaign to end the stigma associated with mental health problems ‘Time to Change’ began, around 4.1 million people have improved attitudes towards people with mental health problems.
More people than ever before also say that they would be happy to live with, work with or continue a relationship with someone with a mental health problem.
Yet despite this progress, when it comes to men’s mental health, persistent stigmas and stereotypes remain; acting as dangerous obstacles to seeking care.
As a result of fixed ideas around what it means to be ‘manly’ or ‘macho’, help can often arrive too late, with suicide the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK.
According to Samaritans, men are nearly three times as likely as women to die by suicide or become dependent on alcohol or drugs. Yet despite this imbalance, only 36 per cent of NHS referrals for talking therapies are for men.
It’s evident that the tendency to access care late (or not at all) is playing a key role in the progression from mental health struggle to crisis.
If men do not come forward, mental health professionals cannot predict – and critically prevent – crises from occurring.
For this reason, a large-scale, systemic change is needed to address men’s mental health.
The growing importance of digital
With men statistically less inclined to use traditional mental health services and/or ask for help, simply ensuring that face-to-face services are available is not enough.
To increase take up, every key player – including healthcare practitioners, mental health providers, employers and charities – has a part to play in reducing the stigma associated with accessing care.
Solutions and resources must also be easy to access and discreet.
This is where self-guided, mobile-first solutions are particularly effective as they reduce the embarrassment factor that many men hold.
This is particularly pertinent for the underserved middle; a group that is somewhere between mentally healthy and mentally unwell.
People who may not need face-to-face specialist support but would still benefit from evidence-based digital tools that help them manage their mental health and wellbeing.
According to Mind, some of the key elements that would make it easier for men to seek help include making support and information available online, assurances of anonymity, discretion, and having help available at more convenient times of day.
Mental health apps can make all this a reality, providing they follow robust data ethics principles.
Rising efficacy
App-based interventions aren’t just more convenient and accessible for both users and providers – there’s a growing body of evidence that supports their efficacy.
Initial studies have proved that digital mental health tools are effective in aiding stress management, as well as in the treatment of depression, body dysmorphic disorder, and anxiety, among other mental health difficulties.
However, few digital mental health solutions currently undergo rigorous clinical testing, or in some cases any clinical testing at all.
Of the thousands of solutions available to consumers on app stores, only around 3 per cent of them currently have a sufficient evidence base to back them up.
Equally, 85 per cent of apps fall short of ORCHA’s (the world’s largest single source for digital health compliance) criteria for data privacy, clinical assurance and user experience. This must be addressed.
The role of employers in championing digital
It can be a huge challenge for users to separate the solutions grounded in science and developed by experts from the rest, especially when they are struggling with poor mental health. This is where employers can play an incredibly important role.
Studies have shown that men respond particularly well to information provided by role models and leading by example may prove particularly effective with men in the workplace.
Employees are increasingly expecting more from their employers when it comes to protecting their mental wellbeing.
So now is the time for businesses to invest in credible, comprehensive, bespoke digital health solutions that deliver care right across the mental health continuum.
Too many men have suffered in silence.
While many countries are gradually reducing stigma and raising awareness, progress is slow and too many tragedies occur on a day-to-day basis.
It’s clear that new approaches are needed which prioritise anonymity and accessibility, with digital mental health apps providing a solution to many of the challenges.
Dr Chukwuebuka Anyaegbuna is Clinical Service Lead at Koa Health
