{"id":594,"date":"2017-10-06T07:52:51","date_gmt":"2017-10-06T06:52:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/comment\/?p=594"},"modified":"2017-10-06T07:52:51","modified_gmt":"2017-10-06T06:52:51","slug":"macho-myth-busting-working-class-men-arent-all-too-tough-to-seek-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/comment\/2017\/10\/06\/macho-myth-busting-working-class-men-arent-all-too-tough-to-seek-help\/","title":{"rendered":"Macho myth busting: working class men aren’t all too tough to seek help"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Paul Simpson<\/a>, Edge Hill University<\/a><\/em> and Michael Richards<\/a>, Edge Hill University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Men are bad at looking after their health<\/a>, or so the received wisdom goes. Indeed, evidence has shown that men have significantly higher death rates than women from cancer due to delays in seeking medical help<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These doctor-avoiding tendencies have also been shown to be more common among working-class men \u2013 who are thought to place more emphasis on \u201ctoughness<\/a>\u201d and are more inclined to take risks when it comes to smoking and drinking<\/a>. But there is evidence<\/a> that questions some of these \u201cmacho\u201d stereotypes. Men are beginning to look to support groups for help and our own research has pointed to a subtle change in workinmg-class masculinity.<\/p>\n

Our study<\/a> was based on the findings from three focus groups conducted with 15 men, aged 23-68, from three cities in northwest England. The men attended different support groups and experienced disadvantage because of low income and\/or mental health difficulties. We asked them to take photographs of what \u201chealth\u201d meant to them to aid discussion and we received more than 100 images.<\/p>\n

The study found that experience of disadvantage because of low income and mental health issues had encouraged men to engage in what have been called \u201ccommunities of practice<\/a>\u201d. These communities emerged within various support groups that were organised around football and mental health, being a father and for people trying to manage on lower incomes. They provide opportunities for men to support each other \u201cinformally\u201d outside official, medical and care environments. They also provided opportunities for the men to think as a group about their mental and physical health.<\/p>\n

Attitudes observed within these communities suggest a broadening of working-class masculinity that recognises the value of emotional expression and mutual support. They also encouraged group members to question the mental health advice they were receiving from doctors and dominant ideas about healthy eating.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Challenging stereotypes<\/h2>\n

Men, particularly those in working-class communities, face pressures<\/a> to be strong: to be \u201cbreadwinners\u201d and to control their emotions. But one man who took part in the study \u2013 Geoff, aged in his early 50s and from Merseyside \u2013 used photographs of his achievements in a football and mental health support group to talk about his recovery from severe mental health problems. He said he recovered thanks to the emotional support available in his community group:<\/p>\n

I have no shame whatsoever talking about mental health. Until we can talk as openly about mental health as we do physical health, there will be a stigma and if I can talk about\u2026 the dark times\u2026 hopefully that touches someone else and makes them reach out for help. One of the most difficult things to say is \u2013 like coming out \u2013 \u2018that\u2019s what it is\u2019. It\u2019s making that admission. Football has been a huge part of my life. It was always where I could be myself. The lads are like any other football team but we take it one step further because not only do we care for each other, we actually counsel each other.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Geoff\u2019s words show how this support group has normalised talking about fears and anxieties. His use of the metaphor \u201ccoming out\u201d shows the importance of owning one\u2019s emotional vulnerability. This is a far cry from \u201cmanly\u201d suppression of or distancing from so-called \u201cfeminine\u201d emotions. Geoff also spoke of the group as helping men to express their authentic emotional selves.<\/p>\n

Indeed, Geoff said that for group members football was \u201ctheir medication\u201d. This was echoed by another study participant. Mike, aged in his early 20s, compared the benefits of the support group in helping him to face bereavement with \u201cthe doctors who just give you pills\u201d. And referring to a photograph of himself making papier-mach\u00e9 figures with his children, Darren (early 40s from Manchester) described how sharing thoughts within a self-help group for dads had \u201chelped me bond with my kids\u201d and had helped him \u201cbecome the dad I am now where I can play with the kids and then get on with housework\u201d.<\/p>\n

Community groups can help men facing disadvantages to develop emotional resources. Their stories also show how health is a collective rather than a purely individual enterprise.<\/p>\n

Places to relax<\/h2>\n

Another significant theme appeared in stories about men\u2019s favourite places to relax. Referring to a photograph of his bike on New Brighton Promenade, overlooking the Liverpool waterfront, Daniel explained:<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll often peddle to New Brighton. Nine miles there, nine back and it\u2019s just sea and sand all the way. You feel like you\u2019re abroad. So, that\u2019s nice mentally rather than physically. I just look back at the city where I grew up and think about life and it really helps.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Daniel\u2019s words suggest freedom and the view of Liverpool provides emotional as well as physical distance: a space of escape to consider his life\u2019s journey. In all focus groups, men contrasted such places to unhealthy \u201cmean streets\u201d that represented urban blight, hostility, disconnection and social problems.<\/p>\n

\"TheContrary to the stereotype, working-class men who belong to support groups are no strangers to seeking help. It\u2019s clear that support groups are helping men get the help they need and they could be key in taking steps towards reducing male suicide rates<\/a> and addressing wider health issues. But more needs to be done to raise awareness of these groups and more funding needs to be set aside to make them accessible for all.<\/p>\n

Paul Simpson<\/a>, Lecturer in Applied Health & Social Care, Edge Hill University<\/a><\/em> and Michael Richards<\/a>, Lecturer in Applied Health and Social Care, Edge Hill University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

This article was originally published on The Conversation<\/a>. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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