Men and Trauma: The Unique Risks

Traumatizing events can cause significant mental health issues for anyone. When looking at men and trauma, though, several concerning issues stand out. Social, environmental, biological and various other factors play a role in the unique experience of men who go through distressing events. Understanding these concerns is essential to ensure proper treatment.

At Transformations Treatment Center, we know that trauma and mental health disorders can affect anyone. We also understand that no one experiences traumatizing events the same way. Gender plays a major role in mental health responses, so it’s vital that treatment accounts for this. Contact us today to learn more about how we individualize our therapeutic offerings.

Differences with Men and Trauma

Traumatizing events can affect men and women in unique ways, but the effects of trauma aren’t where the differences begin. Some of the most significant variations involve whether trauma responses will occur at all. Studies show that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates are higher among women, but men go through far more traumatic experiences in their lifetimes.

This may seem counterintuitive, but it’s important to remember societal effects. Male alexithymia refers to the process of males learning to hide expressions of emotion through socialization. This may decrease the likelihood of men seeking help after traumatizing events. The differences with men and trauma could also come from varying life experiences.

Research shows men are more likely than women to go through these incidents:

Witnessing injury or death
Experiencing accidents
Living through fires and disasters
Suffering violent (non-sexual) attacks
Fighting in wars

Researchers at least partially attribute higher PTSD rates in women to increased risk of sexual assault. Even when men experience such assaults, though, they are less likely to reach out for help. When looking at prevalent rates of depression and anxiety disorders, there are differences as well, supporting the theory of men simply not seeking help.

While there’s still much to understand regarding men and trauma, we know that males often don’t get the treatment they need. Many factors could contribute to this reality, but we cannot ignore the societal effect. If you or a loved one has experienced a traumatizing event, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. Countless men deal with trauma every single day.

It’s the ones who fail to seek treatment, though, who fight this battle for a lifetime.

Men and Trauma Effects

Whether or not someone receives a trauma disorder diagnosis has no effect on symptoms. And while diagnosis rates point to a major difference between women and men with trauma, that isn’t where the dissimilarities end. The outcomes of trauma also show significant variations between the genders. Men who experience the following, for instance, have a higher risk of suicidal ideation:

Childhood trauma
Sexual trauma
Interpersonal trauma
Non-interpersonal trauma

Women face increased risk of suicidal ideation after childhood, sexual and interpersonal traumas, but the risk is greater in men. Women also do not face this increased risk from non-interpersonal trauma. This means that even though females may experience higher rates of sexual and childhood trauma, men who go through it are more prone to suicidality.

Another revelation from men and trauma research is an increased likelihood of substance abuse disorder. Men will often self-medicate rather than admitting they have a problem, and this will create additional issues. Drug use can lead to depression or increased anxiety. These will only worsen the underlying issue.

Trauma Symptoms in Men

Some experts feel that the variance in rates of PTSD between men and women isn’t as significant as research suggests. They attribute these differences to variations in the manifestation of symptoms. When mental health professionals work with men and trauma, for instance, their patients don’t report anxiety and depression as frequently as women.

While these symptoms may make it easier to diagnose trauma disorders, they’re far from the only red flags. Men are more likely to report the following symptoms, which are also indicative of many conditions caused by trauma:

Changes in behavior
Problems having sex
Abusing drugs
Feelings of irritability
Becoming angry or violent

The increased risk of violence is an especially worrisome issue related to men and trauma. Research showed that in the years following the start of the Iraq war, PTSD rates tripled for soldiers in more violent sections of Iraq. The same group studied also saw murder rates double and sexual assault rates triple. This was during a time before the military allowed women in combat.

Veterans with PTSDhave gone through detrimental experiences, but the lack of proper diagnoses for men and trauma ensures that these difficulties continue. If you’ve experienced a distressing event or ongoing trauma that has affected your behavior, it’s important to reach out for help. Seeking treatment may help you avoid tragedy down the road.

Treating Trauma in Men

Even with the many differences between female and male experiences with trauma, there are distinct similarities regarding treatment. Following traumatic events, the therapeutic approaches used are effective regardless of gender. Slight variations, however, may exist. Research has found that men felt more comfortable, for instance, in male-only group therapy.

These are a few of the therapeutic offerings provided at Transformations Treatment Center:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Veteran and first responder treatment groups
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
Gender-specific group therapy
Individual and family therapy
Medication-assisted treatment
Management of guilt and shame
Coping skill education

Each of these therapies has shown particular promise with men and trauma treatment. Even among the male population, though, experiences of trauma are unique. Treatments that work for one person may not be right for another. This makes the most important step admitting there’s a problem. Trauma in men is a common issue, so never be afraid to seek help.

Men and Trauma Should Not Go Ignored

Trauma is far too often overlooked by the general population. Claims of “you’ll get over it” and “it’s time to move on” can plague anyone after a distressing event. Unfortunately, cultural and social norms have created a situation where men also get overlooked following traumatizing events. In many cases, the only things stopping guys from seeking help are the norms they’ve internalized.

At Transformations Treatment Center, our staff of certified professionals understands the unique experience of men and trauma. While the desire to “tough it out” may seem powerful, this will almost certainly result in deteriorating mental health issues. You don’t have to go through life dealing with the effects of traumatizing events.

Sources

European Journal of Psychotraumatology
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6136384/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5632782/

American Psychological Association
https://www.apa.org/monitor/jun05/helping
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2006/11/ptsd-rates

Military Medicine
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22594130/