https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/recognizing-trauma-boys-and-men
created by TAKEitTOrCIRCLEJERK on 25/01/2025 at 19:36 UTC
367 upvotes, 5 top-level comments (showing 5)
Comment by TAKEitTOrCIRCLEJERK at 25/01/2025 at 19:43 UTC
85 upvotes, 2 direct replies
1:
Today, approximately 90% to 95% of all male sexual violations go unreported.
2:
A clear example of this issue is the medical professionals' tendency to overlook men's struggles with mental health. Although data shows that men experience slightly more traumatic events than women, fewer men meet the criteria of PTSD, determined by the DSM-5 standard classification of mental disorders in the United States. Although most recent lifetime prevalence estimates indicate that 5.7% of men relative to 12.8% of women have PTSD, the discrepancy is not due to a lack of trauma exposure, but instead a combination of factors that influence the diagnosis and reporting of PTSD among men.
One of those factors is the cultural stigma surrounding male vulnerability and emotional expression. Culturally, men are socialized to suppress emotions and prioritize physical toughness, traits frequently portrayed as "essential" to being a man in the United States. These expectations are sustained through the reinforcement of traditional gender roles and hegemonic masculinity, particularly in the media.
these systems are hard to access for *anyone*, but according to this research, it's a higher hurdle for men. And like most issues in this lane, there's no easy fix here; you can't just shout START BEING VULNERABLE to men and you can't just shout BE BETTER AT YOUR JOBS at those medical professionals. This is a long, deep unwinding process.
Comment by SixShitYears at 26/01/2025 at 00:36 UTC
18 upvotes, 0 direct replies
The vulnerability issue when getting a diagnosis is an interesting issue that I think is more complex than conceived. I can remember being accessed by the Department of Veteran Affairs for psychiatric conditions a few years back and despite having vivid flashbacks to traumatic events during assessment I answered no and avoided talking about the events. I did this despite being a student of psychology and fully knowing better. I think the issue of vulnerability isn't shed simply by knowledge as it is deeply rooted into male psychology by our upbringing.
Comment by JeffroCakes at 28/01/2025 at 03:35 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Three words: routine infant circumcision.
Boys are traumatized with weeks of birth. They get strapped down then have their foreskins literally ripped from their glans before the skin is crushed in a clamp and cut off. All while conscious with minimal pain management. But hardly anyone sees that as the massive traumatizing violation it is. In fact, they’ll defend it and mock intact men who were spared the abuse.
Comment by Responsible_Towel857 at 25/01/2025 at 21:02 UTC
20 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Like one of my therapists said. You are a survivor of cultural violence. I believe most men are.
Comment by [deleted] at 26/01/2025 at 16:13 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
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