‘Men don’t cry’ but they hurt all the same, and toughing it out is no solution for stress
In fact, two male athletes from the American NBA (National Basketball Association), DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love, have opened up about their mental health problems, with one of them battling depression and the other suffering panic attacks. They hope that by sharing their own experience, they are encouraging men to share their feelings, talk about their vulnerabilities and seek help from professionals.
Traditional Chinese values and gender stereotyping teach men not to talk about their emotions
People may wonder why wealthy players like them, living a luxurious life that is the envy of many, would fall victim to mental health issues.
But in fact, mental health problems could hit anyone, regardless of socio-economic status, age, gender and circumstances.
Locally, owing to traditional Chinese values and gender stereotyping, men have been taught since childhood not to talk about their emotional problems, as doing so would be seen as a sign of weakness, since “men don’t cry”.
Even during difficult times, they are expected to tough it out. But such a mentality is not healthy, since some men risk pushing themselves to the brink of mental collapse without realising it. Delaying treatment from psychiatrists not only exacerbates the mental problems one is facing, but may even lead to suicidal thoughts or acts.