Minnesota Vikings’ wide receiver Rondale Moore was the third professional football player to commit suicide within the last year. Along with former Dallas Cowboys’ defensive end Marshawn Kneeland and Louisiana State University’s (LSU’s) wide receiver Kyren Lacy, Moore lost the battle within his mind, taking his life.
After these recent passings I questioned whether mental health issues were prevalent among football players. I came to realize that not only football players, but men in general are suffering disproportionately from mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. This is due to the traditional stigma passed down for generations from our fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers and their fathers: “be a man.”
According to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), men make up 80 percent of suicide deaths and are four times more likely to commit suicide than women. Additionally, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) performed a study in which men were found to be reluctant to share how they feel; only 19.7 percent of men who took their own lives last year had contact with mental health professionals leading up to suicide.
The stats back it: men struggle in silence, even those who make millions of dollars playing a game they love. Men are raised to believe that masculinity and vulnerability can not coexist inside their brains. These psychological struggles are largely influenced by the rigid gender roles that men all over the world are forced to fit into. Roles like providing financially for themselves and a family and being relied on to fix everything, are the root of these struggles. Whether it’s a broken floorboard or a relationship, men are counted on to deal with all of the pressure that they face and to deal with them unfazed, without voicing their challenges.
How come it takes three football players taking their lives for somebody to speak up about men’s mental health? Men have been suffering for years, and still society does them a disservice by normalizing the traditional stigmas that we all face. To “be a man” or to “man up” does not mean that you should act okay on the outside and bottle everything within. It does not mean that men should express toxic masculinity, a trait that men possess that often appears as overly-confident, egotistical and aggressive. Instead of simply asking for help, men typically bottle their emotions which can enhance these traits.
In a world where men are put on a pedestal as empowering, strong and fearless beings, most men feel a need to be one. This often takes the form of staying silent when suffering, even at Redwood.
According to a study from data from a March Bark survey, 42 percent of male students at Redwood stated, “it is hard for me to be vulnerable with my mental health, but I try,” and 42 percent of male students said that “ I do not share my feelings with others.” The remaining 16 percent said “I share my feelings with others.” Clearly, boys have been forced to grow up tough, in an environment where toxic masculinity is preventing themselves from speaking up.
The reason boys are so hesitant to be vulnerable is because they have grown up to be stoic and follow the traditions of society. Even in our community, boys struggle. According to an article from Self Magazine, 94 percent of parents raise their sons to be emotionally strong, preparing their sons for traditional manhood. In a USA Facts report, in California, males account for 78 percent of suicides, a statisic that is sad, but reflective of wider trends. To change this statistic, it needs to be normalized for men to reach out and share their feelings.
I am not arguing that men have it harder than women. Everyone has problems they deal with, regardless of gender. However, men do face disproportionate amounts of mental health issues. To remedy this, society must more strongly embrace men’s mental health. On an individual level, it is crucial for people to check in on the men in their lives just as they would anyone else. Men themselves also have a part to play; it is immensely important that men become more willing to reach out, as the statistics show that we don’t. You never know what someone may be going through, so always check in.
