HomeNews & PressIs “Manning Up” Bringing Men Down? Is “Manning Up” Bringing Men Down? June 5, 2023News & Press Men are less likely to have a trusted mental healthcare provider than females SALT LAKE CITY, June 5, 2023 – Only 53% of men say they have a trusted mental healthcare provider, significantly less than the 63% of women who say they have a trusted provider, according to the GeneSight® Mental Health Monitor, a nationwide survey from Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN). “It took personal courage and support from those close to me to seek out help,” said Ryan Griggs, PhD, medical science liaison with Myriad Genetics. “As a rugby player, I tried ‘manning up’ and ‘toughing it out’ for years after I lost my dad, but that clearly wasn’t the answer. Mental health treatment helped me and is likely a better option for other men – or for anyone who is struggling.” “June is Men’s Health Month,” added Griggs, “and these survey results show that it is important for men to take care of their mental health.” For those men with a trusted mental healthcare provider, the benefits are startling: “Being a man, there’s all sorts of stigmas about mental health and not asking for help. Men may be expected to take life with blunt force, full on by yourself. I struggled with that for a long time,” said Dylan Eyestone, a patient from Indiana. “You can’t just magically toughen up your brain. If something’s wrong, something’s wrong. It’s about letting go of your ego and realizing that it’s not your fault – that you can’t do it yourself.” The risk of not taking care of mental health A significant number of men admit to “heavily” engaging in a variety of unhealthy coping mechanisms, from taking stimulant drugs to gambling, drinking or using social media: More than one in four (28%) said these coping mechanisms “helped” when they were dissatisfied with their mental health. Experts say, however, these actions do more harm than good. “Many men worry about being branded with a mental illness. We need to change the conversation, as it is about mental wellness – not illness,” said Dr. Thomas J. Valente, a psychiatrist in Leesburg, Fla. “If stigma leads a patient to not accept a mental illness, then they won’t accept the treatment. I tell all patients: Accept yourself – and seek treatment when you aren’t well.” Dr. Valente uses the GeneSight test with his patients to help minimize medication trial and error. The GeneSight test analyzes how a patient’s genes may affect their outcomes with medications commonly prescribed to treat depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other mental health conditions. “Anyone who is phobic, fearful, has had a poor response to mental health medications, or a family member who has had a poor response to treatment – they may be a little bit scared,” said Dr. Valente. “So, when I order the GeneSight test, I tell them that I’m not just randomly choosing medication, I’m choosing it based on science.” Mental health issues are on the rise More men self-reported depression and anxiety diagnoses compared to just one year prior. Yet these reported rates are lower than those of women: 15% of American men reported being diagnosed with depression according to the 2023 survey, up from 12% in 2022 29% of women surveyed self-reported a depression diagnosis in the 2023 survey 15% of American men reported being diagnosed with anxiety according to the 2023 survey, up from 14% in 2022 34% of women surveyed self-reported an anxiety diagnosis in the 2023 survey Additional survey results, video and graphics are available at genesight.com/mental-health-monitor. For more information about the GeneSight test, please visit GeneSight.com. For tips and tactics on ways to improve mental health outside of treatment, visit our Brighter Days Challenge GeneSight.com/BrighterDays. About the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor The GeneSight Mental Health Monitor is a nationwide survey conducted online by ACUPOLL Precision Research, Inc. in February 2023 among a statistically representative sample (n=1000) of U.S. adults age 18+. The survey included a representative sample of adults diagnosed with depression and anxiety. The margin of error in survey results for the total base population at a 95% confidence interval is +/- 3%. The 2022 data came from a nationwide survey of U.S. adults conducted online by ACUPOLL Precision Research, Inc. from Feb. 25 – March 11, 2022, among a statistically representative sample (n=1000) of adults age 18+. The margin of error in survey results for the total base population at a 95% confidence interval is +/- 3%. About the GeneSight Test The GeneSight Psychotropic test from Myriad Genetics is the category-leading pharmacogenomic test for 64 medications commonly prescribed for depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other psychiatric conditions. The GeneSight test can help inform clinicians about how a patient’s genes may impact how they metabolize and/or respond to certain psychiatric medications. Tens of thousands of clinicians have ordered the GeneSight test for more than two million patients in order to receive genetic information that is unique to each patient. The GeneSight test supplements other information considered by a clinician as part of a comprehensive medical assessment. Learn more at GeneSight.com. About Myriad Genetics Myriad Genetics is a leading genetic testing and precision medicine company dedicated to advancing health and well-being for all. Myriad develops and offers genetic tests that help assess the risk of developing disease or disease progression and guide treatment decisions across medical specialties where genetic insights can significantly improve patient care and lower healthcare costs. For more information, visit www.myriad.com. Cancer, MyChoice CDx, Prequel, Prequel with Amplify, Amplify, Foresight, Precise, FirstGene, SneakPeek, Health.Illuminated., RiskScore, Prolaris, GeneSight, and EndoPredict are trademarks or registered trademarks of Myriad Genetics, Inc. © 2023 Myriad Genetics, Inc. All rights reserved. Patient Movement as Medicine: Solutions for Anxiety Moving forward. It sounds like a nice idea, especially when you’re feeling stuck deep in the throes of an anxiety spiral. But it turns out that physically m... Read more Patient Weight-Loss Drugs and Mental Health: What You Need to Know New medications for weight loss seem to be flying off pharmacy shelves these days. But could they be linked to mental health conditions? Researchers are ... Read more Patient 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! We’re thrilled to share that 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! We're so grateful to the dedicated healthcare providers who... 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If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. ... Read more Patient Stress Relief Methods for Family Caregivers Caring for a loved one can be a rewarding and meaningful experience. However, the day in and day out of taking care of someone who is unwell also can be challen... Read more Healthcare Provider Healthcare Professional Burnout and Links to Depression When Dr. Lorna Breen, an ER doc in Manhattan, died by suicide in April 2020, it opened up a public discussion about the burdens faced by healthcare professi... Read more Healthcare Provider Antidepressant Withdrawal or Depression Reoccurrence? What Healthcare Providers Should Know People who stop taking antidepressants may do so for many reasons: they may feel like it isn’t working, may feel unable to cope with side effects, or may not fe... Read more Learn more Learn more about GeneSight How to talk to your provider View our clinical studies
Patient Movement as Medicine: Solutions for Anxiety Moving forward. It sounds like a nice idea, especially when you’re feeling stuck deep in the throes of an anxiety spiral. But it turns out that physically m... Read more
Patient Weight-Loss Drugs and Mental Health: What You Need to Know New medications for weight loss seem to be flying off pharmacy shelves these days. But could they be linked to mental health conditions? Researchers are ... Read more
Patient 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! We’re thrilled to share that 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! We're so grateful to the dedicated healthcare providers who... Read more
Patient The Model Minority Myth and Mental Health The model minority myth stereotypes one cultural group, typically Asian Americans, as “intelligent, hard-working, and diligent and therefore more academically, ... Read more
Healthcare Provider How Clinicians Can Help Support Their Patients Who Are Being Bullied How Clinicians Can Help Support Their Patients Who Are Being Bullied Acts of bullying can cause feelings of fear, loneliness and sadness, as well as depressi... Read more
Patient Cyberbullying: Unique Challenges and Impacts ‘We lost our daughter to cyberbullying.’ McKenna Brown was an accomplished hockey player and scholar, known for her kindness, when she became the target of int... Read more
Going Beyond Green, Yellow, Red on the GeneSight Report This blog summarizes key points discussed during the March 2024 GeneSight® Engage webinar Participants: Bernie Ranchero, MD, MS, MBA, medical direc... Read more
Healthcare Provider Top 5 Reasons Patients Stop Their Mood Disorder Treatment Mood disorder treatment for depression can be challenging – and patients may become frustrated when treatments don’t work. In fact, when people with depres... Read more
Patient The Impact of Gratitude on Depression and Anxiety “Say ‘Thank you,” a mother reminds her young kiddo. “T.G.I.F.!” we cheer at the end of a long week. We know it’s important to be thankful. But do we ... Read more
Patient The Silent Thief: The 5 Things Depression Can Steal “Depression is a thief,” writes Abhinav Chaurasia, a marketing automation specialist in an essay on LinkedIn. “It steals your joy, your motivation, and your abi... Read more
Patient How to Talk to Your Doctor about Anxiety Medication “When I was 27, I felt bad all the time,” writes Joanna Goddard on the popular Cup of Jo blog. She describes her initial experience with anxiety in detail. ... Read more
Healthcare Provider Building Trust by Reducing Bias: The GeneSight Test as a Tool for Mental Health Equity This blog summarizes key points discussed during Myriad Mental Health’s July 2022 Webinar: Building Trust by Reducing Bias: The GeneSight Test as a Tool for Men... Read more
Patient Anxiety and older adults: What to look for and how to help “It’s not how old you are. It’s how you are, old.” - French author Jules Renard Mental health is important at every age. But when people experience an a... Read more
Patient Adult ADHD: Symptoms, treatment, where to start Many people may incorrectly think ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, only impacts children. After all, according to the Centers for Disease C... Read more
Healthcare Provider It’s time to talk suicide: addressing stigma around a difficult topic Trigger Warning: This webinar discusses suicide. If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. ... Read more
Patient Stress Relief Methods for Family Caregivers Caring for a loved one can be a rewarding and meaningful experience. However, the day in and day out of taking care of someone who is unwell also can be challen... Read more
Healthcare Provider Healthcare Professional Burnout and Links to Depression When Dr. Lorna Breen, an ER doc in Manhattan, died by suicide in April 2020, it opened up a public discussion about the burdens faced by healthcare professi... Read more
Healthcare Provider Antidepressant Withdrawal or Depression Reoccurrence? What Healthcare Providers Should Know People who stop taking antidepressants may do so for many reasons: they may feel like it isn’t working, may feel unable to cope with side effects, or may not fe... Read more