Is psychology failing men?
Emma Pinn
Around 80% of my clients are female. Naturally this raises questions about what's preventing men from seeking psychological support, assuming my client base is fairly representative of psychologists generally.
This statistic could be because I am female; perhaps many men are more comfortable consulting a male psychologist. In addition to this, the process of therapy itself (i.e. sitting down face-to-face with someone and talking about your problems and emotions) is potentially a foreign experience for many men.
Unspoken cultural expectations that men need to be 'strong', and that being strong is synonymous with not experiencing sadness and anxiety, is probably still a significant barrier to seeking help for anxiety and depression.
In recent years, some male sports stars have spoken publicly about their own depression and anxiety, acting against the unofficial code of silence for men suffering from psychological distress, which is to be applauded. But clearly there's still a long way to go.