Masculinities and mental distress: From personal care to fight against male sexism?

Abstract

Mental health problems have great international health relevance. From a multifactorial nature, the health conditions considered here as suffering are influenced by social elements such as the construction of masculinity, notwithstanding the evident increasing criticisms and struggles against male sexism. Given this setting, the paper addresses male mental distress and its care, based on a literature review, according to BVS research, and considering the 2010-2020 period. Twenty-two papers were selected from the research. The results of the study were organized into these categories: Characteristics/Particularities of men’s mental distress; Access/Way of seeking help by men in distress and approach/Care of men in mental distress. We can conclude that there is a need for more visibility for the relationship between masculinity and suffering and their care specificities, considering the existence of an apparent silent crisis, the right of men (as people) to care, and the possible contribution, albeit indirect and modest, of addressing men’s distress to the fight against machismo.