MAN UP Stephanie Johnson, a mental health counselor and doctoral student, highlights the disparities between men and women regarding mental health. Stephanie currently practices at Four Rivers Behavioral Health and is pursuing her PhD at Lindsey Wilson College. Having two boys, she has witnessed firsthand the societal pressures men experience. One day in particular, Stephanie noticed her oldest son seemed off. He did not want to open up initially, but eventually, over milkshakes, he broke down his walls and shared his feelings. Stephanie states, “In that moment, I realized it kind of stinks to be a man.” That same month, Stephanie came across a disturbing video of a man taking his life. She became passionate about understanding men’s mental health, even centering her doctoral research on it. In her Literature Review, “The Silent Epidemic of Men’s Mental Health”, Stephanie cites Giorgianni, S. J., & Brott, A. (2019), “On average, there are 132 suicides per day in the United States of America. Approximately 70% of these are committed by white men. Males take their own lives at nearly four times the rate of a woman.” She explains that from the time a child is born, they are conditioned by the gender they are assigned to. Men are conditioned to have shame around emotions. This shame results in men not seeking the services they need. Her research highlights the stigma regarding men’s mental health and changes that reduction campaigns, and diverse role models of positive masculinity. Over the past three years, Stephanie has had the opportunity to present her research at conferences across the region. While social mechanisms do not go away overnight, Stephanie wants to shine some light on the issues plaguing men. Stephanie also serves as the president of the local Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ) chapter. CSJ is an organization that promotes social justice within the American Counseling Association, serving as the “Social Conscience of ACA” and takes action to address disparities, inequities, and promote social change. Stephanie’s personal hope is to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. Unfortunately, men’s mental health could have a positive impact. These potential changes include: mandatory cultural competency in male mental health training for providers, public stigma is only a part of the issue. Men do not prioritize their physical well-being either. Only visiting the doctor out of necessity, missing their regular screenings, and allowing issues to worsen without seeking care, make men’s overall health a notable issue. Men are dying, on average, five years earlier than women. Dr. Michael Knox, a urology specialist with Baptist Health Paducah with over 15 years of experience in the medical field, gives his insight on the growing crisis in men’s health. He explains how men often only visit the doctor when there is a problem. He goes on to explain how 32 NOVEMBER 2022 | PROMOTING EVENTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE | INTHEVUE.COM
