Staiger Tobias, Stiawa Maja, Mueller-Stierlin Annabel Sandra, Kilian Reinhold, Beschoner Petra, Gündel Harald, Becker Thomas, Frasch Karel, Panzirsch Maria, Schmauß Max, Krumm Silvia
Department of Psychiatry II, University of Ulm and District Hospital Günzburg, Ulm, Germany.
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Front Psychiatry. 2020 Nov 24;11:599039. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.599039. eCollection 2020.
Many studies indicate that men are more reluctant to seek help for mental health problems than women. Traditional ideas of masculinity are often seen as a cause of this phenomenon. However, little is known about the diversity of experiences during the processes of help-seeking and service use among men with depression who have already utilized mental health services. This study aims to explore men's experiences and attitudes toward depression, help-seeking, and service use in order to develop gender-sensitive services. Narrative-biographical interviews were conducted with men treated for depression ( = 12). Interview topics included individual experience with depression, help-seeking behavior, and mental health service use. Transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Before seeking treatment, men's help-seeking behavior was negatively affected by internalized masculine norms. However, findings indicate a change of attitudes toward depression after mental health service use. Men with depression emphasized a salutogenic perspective toward mental health problems and critically reflected on masculine norms. The positive function of men-only groups were described as key for successful service use. Men with depression reported experiences toward help-seeking and service use on four different levels: (i) attitudes toward depression, (ii) perception of societal views on depression, (iii) experiences within the family context and (iv) experiences with mental health services. Interventions to reduce the stigma of being "unmanly" and to improve men's capacity to cope with being unable to work should be developed. Peer-led men-only groups may increase participants' self-esteem and assist in disclosing weaknesses. In the context of GPs' mediating role, training for health professionals concerning the impact of masculine norms on mental health is recommended.
许多研究表明，相较于女性，男性在心理健康问题上更不愿寻求帮助。传统的男性气质观念常被视为这一现象的一个原因。然而，对于那些已经使用过心理健康服务的抑郁症男性患者在寻求帮助和使用服务过程中的经历多样性，我们却知之甚少。本研究旨在探索男性对抑郁症、寻求帮助及服务使用的经历和态度，以便开发对性别敏感的服务。对12名接受过抑郁症治疗的男性进行了叙事传记访谈。访谈主题包括个人的抑郁经历、寻求帮助的行为以及心理健康服务的使用情况。使用定性内容分析法对访谈记录进行了分析。在寻求治疗之前，男性的求助行为受到内化的男性规范的负面影响。然而，研究结果表明，在使用心理健康服务后，他们对抑郁症的态度发生了变化。患有抑郁症的男性强调对心理健康问题应持健康促进的观点，并对男性规范进行批判性反思。仅由男性组成的团体的积极作用被描述为成功使用服务的关键。患有抑郁症的男性报告了在寻求帮助和使用服务方面四个不同层面的经历：（i）对抑郁症的态度，（ii）对社会对抑郁症看法的认知，（iii）家庭背景中的经历，以及（iv）心理健康服务方面的经历。应制定干预措施，以减少“不像个男人”的污名，并提高男性应对无法工作的能力。由同龄人主导的仅由男性组成的团体可能会增强参与者的自尊，并有助于他们袒露自己的弱点。在全科医生的调解作用背景下，建议对卫生专业人员进行关于男性规范对心理健康影响的培训。
