By Kevin Conlon ‘22

A silent killer is on the loose and it is more than likely in your neighborhood. This killer also has an accomplice. Who are these monstrous killers? What if the killer is already inside of you? The greatest enemy of men lives inside their own mind, striking ferociously at the psyche.

Whodunit, you ask? No it wasn’t the butler. It is the human brain and society itself.

Society trains men from an early age to “just man up” or to “be a man,” encouraging the suppression of all emotions other than senseless anger and permanent confidence. If a man was to cry, he would get laughed at while female counterparts get hugs and support. Most men are too scared to seek out and get the help that they need.

Society and the brain have worked together for years and have taken the lives of millions. Men are especially at risk from society and the brain. According to Men’s Health Forum, “For men under 35, suicide is the biggest cause of death, four in five suicides (78%) are by men.”

Another major weapon society and the brain use against men are drugs and alcohol. According to Men’s Health Forum, “Men are nearly three times more likely than women to become alcohol dependent; 8.7% of men are alcohol dependent compared to 3.3% of women.” More men drinking and doing drugs means more men die each year because of substance abuse.

Below are resources you can go for help or if you think a friend or family member may be in need of help. Please do not hesitate to go for help. You matter. You are loved.

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), via text message: 435748 (HELP4U), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

Source:  https://www.menshealthforum.org.uk/key-data-mental-health