C o n c l u s i o n s :

C u r r e n t g e n d e r e d
l a n d s c a p e i s
mi s l e a d i n g : we n e e d t o
f o c u s o n me n s me n t a l
h e a l t h
Ma l e me n t a l i l l n e s s
wa s u n d e r - r e p o r t e d a n d
o f t e n mi s d i a g n o s e d a s
s o ma t i c i l l n e s s
Me n we r e r e l u c t a n t t o
s e e k h e l p d u e t o
a s s o c i a t i o n s wi t h
we a k n e s s a n d
e f f e mi n a c y
T h e b i o l o g i c a l me d i c a l
mo d e l n e g a t i v e l y
i n f l u e n c e d r e c o g n i t i o n ,
d i a g n o s i s a n d
t r e a t me n t
S e l f - me d i c a t i o n wi t h
a l c o h o l wa s c o mmo n
a n d o f t e n u n n o t i c e d
u n t i l l a t e s t a g e d i s e a s e
GP s mo r e l i k e l y t o
r e c o g n i s e mo o d
d i s o r d e r s i n , a n d
p r e s c r i b e p s y c h o t r o p i c
me d i c a t i o n t o , wo me n
Oc c u p a t i o n a l h e a l t h
d a t a u n r e l i a b l e a n d
mi s l e a d i n g


Mal e Ment al I l l ness, Medi ci ne and Cul t ur e Si nce 1950

Background:

Statistics suggest women are more
likely than men to experience mood
disorders (ratio of 2:1)
However, behind the statistics a more
complex picture emerges. A range of
conditions more commonly affect men
(e.g. alcohol abuse) and currently 75%
of suicides are in men (Wilkins, 2010)

Under-recognised
and undiagnosed
male mental
illness
Hegemonic
masculinity
(stoicsm,
dependability)
Unwillingness to
seek help
Stigma of mental
illness
Association with
weakness
Somatisation and
self-medication with
alcohol. Lack of
clarity in diagnosis
and classification of
psychosomatic
illness
Medical framework:
biological
psychiatry.
Training of doctors
underplayed social
and cultural factors
Combi-drugs for
gastritis contained
hidden tranqulizers
Large over-the
counter market
Occupational health:
lack of empirical
data
Unreliable sickness
certification
Sources:

Personal papers of GPs with an
interest in mental health and
psychosomatic disease
Oral history project - retired GPs
RCGP papers on training for GPs
Papers related to various initiatives
on alcohol abuse
Pharmaceutical treatments and
prescribing
Industrial medicine/material on
absenteeism
Sociological surveys and studies
Ali Haggett
Centre for Medical History
A.N.Haggett@exeter.ac.uk
Findings:
Acknowledgements:
Research kindly funded by the Wellcome Trust
Images courtesy of the History of Advertising
Trust
Research Questions:

Was male mental illness underdiagnosed?
How did men present with illness?
Why do we know so little about male
distress?
How can history inform current debates?
References: David Wilkins, Untold
Problems (Mens Health Forum, 2010), Ali
Haggett, A History of Male Psychological
Illness, 1950-1980 (Palgrave Macmillan,
forthcoming 2015)