The future could be a depressing place for men in the Western world based on current socioeconomic trends, according to an editorial by American psychiatrists published in The British Journal of Psychiatry on March 1.
Dr. Boadie Dunlop from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta describes the phenomenon as a “mancession,” whereby the economic downturn is affecting men’s self-esteem and social networks, particularly due to its “disproportionate effect on traditional male industries such as construction and manufacturing.”
In response to the recession, technological advances and the closure or shift of many industries to lower-income nations are reducing the number of traditional blue-collar and manual labor jobs.
According to an Emory University press release, research shows that since the recession began in 2007, around 75 percent of U.S. jobs lost were held by men. In contrast, more women are tending to be the breadwinners with 22 percent of wives earning more than their husbands in 2007, compared with only 4 percent in 1970. Also, women are now more likely to attend college.
Traditionally, being the family provider and protector is a source of self-esteem for men, but traditional male jobs are unlikely to return in significant numbers with economic recovery. Instead, many men may be forced to take on jobs once filled by women, possibly increasing the incidence of depressive disorders.
“Compared to women, many men attach a great importance to their roles as providers and protectors of their families. Failure to fulfill the role of breadwinner is associated with greater depression and marital conflict,” write Dunlop and co-author Tanja Mletzko, research coordinator in the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, in the editorial.
For men, biological and sociological differences can also make it more difficult to become the main caregiver for young children, compared with most women.
“Men in the changing economy will face the same risks for depression that women faced in older economies: trapped in a family role from which they cannot escape because of an inability to find employment,” the authors say.
Another factor is the change in society’s expectation for men to be tough and stoic. With the growing awareness of mental health issues, men are being encouraged to open up, and respected men like journalist Mike Wallace, actor Rod Steiger, and football player Terry Bradshaw have publicly discussed their depression and validated symptoms.
The authors say that the 21st century may be a particularly challenging environment for Western men with low levels of education, and that mental health practitioners should bear the corresponding economic and social issues in mind when treating male depression.
“The changing socioeconomic positions of the West could lead to prevalence in the rates of depression in men increasing, while rates in women decrease,” the editorial warns.
“Practitioners need to be aware of these forces of life and be prepared to explore with their patients the meaning of these changes and interventions that might be helpful.”
Dr. Boadie Dunlop from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta describes the phenomenon as a “mancession,” whereby the economic downturn is affecting men’s self-esteem and social networks, particularly due to its “disproportionate effect on traditional male industries such as construction and manufacturing.”
In response to the recession, technological advances and the closure or shift of many industries to lower-income nations are reducing the number of traditional blue-collar and manual labor jobs.
According to an Emory University press release, research shows that since the recession began in 2007, around 75 percent of U.S. jobs lost were held by men. In contrast, more women are tending to be the breadwinners with 22 percent of wives earning more than their husbands in 2007, compared with only 4 percent in 1970. Also, women are now more likely to attend college.
Traditionally, being the family provider and protector is a source of self-esteem for men, but traditional male jobs are unlikely to return in significant numbers with economic recovery. Instead, many men may be forced to take on jobs once filled by women, possibly increasing the incidence of depressive disorders.
“Compared to women, many men attach a great importance to their roles as providers and protectors of their families. Failure to fulfill the role of breadwinner is associated with greater depression and marital conflict,” write Dunlop and co-author Tanja Mletzko, research coordinator in the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, in the editorial.
For men, biological and sociological differences can also make it more difficult to become the main caregiver for young children, compared with most women.
“Men in the changing economy will face the same risks for depression that women faced in older economies: trapped in a family role from which they cannot escape because of an inability to find employment,” the authors say.
Another factor is the change in society’s expectation for men to be tough and stoic. With the growing awareness of mental health issues, men are being encouraged to open up, and respected men like journalist Mike Wallace, actor Rod Steiger, and football player Terry Bradshaw have publicly discussed their depression and validated symptoms.
The authors say that the 21st century may be a particularly challenging environment for Western men with low levels of education, and that mental health practitioners should bear the corresponding economic and social issues in mind when treating male depression.
“The changing socioeconomic positions of the West could lead to prevalence in the rates of depression in men increasing, while rates in women decrease,” the editorial warns.
“Practitioners need to be aware of these forces of life and be prepared to explore with their patients the meaning of these changes and interventions that might be helpful.”
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