I’m really concerned about men’s mental health

I’m a mental health therapist(f48)who has jumped back into dating (males) after a ten year dating hiatus.<br><br>I’ve met a few men, taken some time to get to know them, and dang. Usually about a month into getting to know these guys I’m hearing phrases like “emotionally dead inside” and “unable to understand my own or other’s feelings”. They are angry and irritated at the core of their emotional lives and have very low levels of positive emotion. I feel so horrible for them when they disclose these things to me. It’s very sad.<br><br>I’d like to think that my sample size is low and that my observations cannot be generalized to the entire heterosexual male population, but my gut tells me otherwise. I think there is a male mental health crisis. Your mental health does matter. And I wish I could fix it all for everyone of you, and I can’t.<br><br>These are general observations I’ve made during the course of getting to know a few men, and I cannot know for certain if this is a widespread issue or not. But I am concerned that perhaps many men are not doing well emotionally.<br><br>Edit: yes, the patriarchy hurts everyone. And if you’re upset about women having it worse, then maybe you should be angry at your own gender and the systems they’ve created and upheld that still largely oppress women.<br><br>I cannot help but think of that quote from a few years ago, “I’m not a feminist because I love women, I’m a feminist because I hate men.”<br><br>And the truth is, women ARE tougher and more resilient than men. We have to be. But being resilient and strong does not mean you aren’t validly upset about how patriarchal societies have harmed you. And it makes sense that you would want to turn to someone else for help and support. But maybe this is why women are more likely to seek therapy and support: because we are more likely to reach out for social support and to those around us for help. <br><br>I’m trying to help here. I don’t know what else to do except offer my observations from the small sample size that I have. I believe you all are human beings who deserve help, support, and love. If you were my patient, I would do my best to help you and I would definitely refer you to another therapist if I felt that I wasn’t a good fit for you. <br><br>I don’t know what else to do except offer my observations. I’m going to withdraw from this conversation now because I feel I’ve been bashed enough and have been accused of things that I’ve never done. I’m not a sexist. I love all human beings and want to help them. I am someone who is concerned about the plight of others, and I’m just raising a flag here to see if others have similar observations.<br><br>I wasn’t stating that a woman cannot be emotionally dead inside. That is a features of several mental health conditions that can affect either sex. I was merely stating my observations and my concerns. <br><br>I’m going to go cancel some appointments I have with males because obviously I’m sexist, and I don’t want to be sexist; therefore, I cannot see male patients anymore. Fuck off.<br><br>And if you are a male who is upset by my observations and my concern that you are not doing well, then maybe this is your opportunity to reflect on yourself and the cultural systems in place that harm you and cause you to act out in the ways that you do. Maybe rather than being defensive, asking yourself why you are being defensive is a good starting point.