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.
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