Anxiety Could Manifest Differently In Men, Here’s How
Headaches, irritability, or trouble sleeping? You could have anxiety.
by Rachel Linder
14.3% of men have experienced an anxiety disorder in the past year, according to NIMH. Yes, that percentage is lower and less likely than the 23.4% of women who have experienced one, but that doesn’t mean men don’t get anxious—of course they do. These are also only the numbers of those individuals who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. We know, too, that many people with mental health issues will not take the step of visiting a specialist for a diagnosis—especially men.
Oftentimes, individuals will need an extra push when it comes to seeing a specialist, so it’s crucial to know what signs to look for when it comes to anxiety in men. It doesn’t always present itself with the same overwhelming sense of worry that it does in women. Instead, men could be faced with more physical symptoms when it comes to anxiety—and if you or someone you know are experiencing these, they should not be ignored.
Given the fact that the worry that anxiety brings could be less socially acceptable than physical manifestations, frequently men with anxiety will experience some kind of aggression or irritability. These symptoms could also be seen in a new desire to workout in order to attempt to alleviate these feelings. According to Harvard Health, physical activity is beneficial when it comes to improving the mental health of men, though it should not be the only outlet.
Similar to women, men could experience headaches and trouble sleeping as a result of anxiety. These physical symptoms are often the body’s way of telling you about your anxiety. Though both of these symptoms could be attributed to other health issues, if you or someone you know experiences either of these on a regular basis, it could be due to anxiety.
Men also could see anxiety come in the form of muscle aches. Anxiety often causes muscles in the body tension, which on a consistent basis would lead to significant aches and pains.
Due to the stigmas surrounding mental health, especially when it comes to men, it is not uncommon for men to turn to alcohol or drugs. The co-morbidity that occurs between mental health and substance use disorders is significant, according to psychological review. There is no doubt that this could be a method to attempt to hide mental health issues, and should be taken extremely seriously. Though alcohol and drugs could be seen by someone suffering as a coping mechanism, it’s not a healthy one and should be treated immediately.
Though many of these symptoms could be extremely subtle, it’s crucial to look out for them in loved ones and yourself, as all too frequently mental health issues among men go undiagnosed and untreated. There should be no stigma.