Understanding, Not Excusing: The Role of Mental Health in Men's Violence

While evidence shows that mental health plays a role in men's violence, it doesn't excuse it.

In the last few days, I've released content exploring the intersection of men's mental health and men’s violence which has generated important discussions as well as some concerns. I've been reading through the comments and messages and I want to address some of the points that have been raised. I hear you.

Mental health should never be used to diminish the culpability of those who commit violence. While poor mental health and untreated mental illness can erode the barriers that typically prevent people from harming others, it does not excuse or justify violent acts. Rhetorically, in 99.9% of cases, every individual should be held accountable for their actions, regardless of their mental health status.

To progress, we need to examine the whole picture and explore the connection between men's mental health and violence with nuance and empathy. The Man Box 2024 study provides an eye-opening look into how rigid masculine norms can fuel violence and harm men's wellbeing. They are connected, but one doesn’t excuse the other.

The study identified 19 rules that define stereotypical masculinity, including acting tough, not talking about our problems, being the sole breadwinner, sexual dominance and using violence to gain power. It also encourages homophobia and transphobia. Nearly 4 in 10 men (37%) feel pressured to conform to these "Man Box" rules, which not only harms us but also those around us.

Men who strongly endorse "Man Box" beliefs are more likely to:

• 35x more likely to sexually harass

• 11x more likely to engage in bullying

• 5x more likely to be physically violent toward an intimate partner

Importantly, the Man Box study's findings on mental health closely mirror those of the 2024 men's mental health report. Both studies found that rigid masculine norms, which many of us are conditioned to adhere to, are associated with higher rates of suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and low mood.

The Man Box study revealed that men who strongly adhere to these norms are:

• 8x more likely to experience frequent suicidal thoughts

• 6x more likely to experience frequent self-harm thoughts

• 3x more likely to report low moods

More broadly, the men's mental health report found that 51% of all men surveyed admitted to suffering from poor mental health symptoms, with 1 in 3 experiencing suicidal thoughts and 68% reporting low moods.

These harmful gender norms also make it difficult for men to open up about our mental health struggles. The men's mental health report found that 1 in 3 men found it difficult to talk about their mental health due to stigma and embarrassment.

Some of you have pointed out that women also suffer from mental health problems but don't resort to violence at anywhere near the same rates as men. This is an incredibly important point, and it highlights the complex interplay between mental health, patriarchy and violence.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics:

• 24.6% of women had a 12-month mental disorder in 2020–2022, compared with 18.3% of men

• Anxiety disorders affect around 21.1% of women and 13.3% of men, based on diagnosed cases

• Men are 2x more likely to have substance abuse disorders (4.4% compared to 2.1%)

It's important to note that men are less likely to seek help for mental health issues, which can lead to underdiagnosis and underreporting. Research shows that:

• Men are 32% less likely than women to visit a GP

• Men are 37% less likely to see a doctor after potential disease warning signs

• Only 33% of Medicare-subsidised mental health services in 2021 were provided to men

This underutilisation of healthcare by men means that it’s hard to get a full picture of men’s mental illness. Anecdotally I know that for most of my adult life, I would not have presented in the statistics despite living with multiple mental health problems that weren’t diagnosed or treated until my late 20s.

It’s interesting to note that younger generations are more likely to seek mental health support compared to older age groups. In 2020-22, 22.9% of people aged 16-34 years consulted a health professional for mental health concerns, compared to only 8.1% of those aged 65-85 years​. While this could signify a positive step in the normalisation of help-seeking behaviour, climate anxiety, economic uncertainty and social media are also likely to play a role in their representation. I digress.

In the absence of being taught better coping mechanisms, and seeking treatment for our mental health struggles, sometimes men can resort to violence as a last resort. The more connected to traditional masculine traits we are, the higher the likelihood of this, as shown through the Man Box data. Patriarchal systems and rigid masculine norms also often instil a sense of entitlement in men, particularly in relation to women. This entitlement can manifest in various ways, such as the belief that men have the right to control and dominate our partners, that women owe us sex, or that we should have the final say in decision-making.

These entitled attitudes are deeply ingrained in the "Man Box" mentality, which pressures us as men to conform to a narrow definition of masculinity that values power, dominance, and control. When we internalise these beliefs over many years, some of us may feel justified in using violence or coercion to assert our perceived rights and maintain our position of authority — this is separate from our mental health, though the evidence shows it doesn’t help it.

It's on all of us (as men) to take a hard look at the ways we might have been conditioned to think about masculinity and power, even if it's not always obvious. We need to work to unlearn these harmful patterns of thought and behaviour, no matter how ingrained or subtle they may be. While it’s not our fault that we’ve been conditioned to absorb some of these attitudes, that isn’t an excuse to act in hurtful or abusive ways. We're all responsible for our actions.

But, patriarchy often lets men off the hook when they perpetrate violence. Society can be quick to brush off abusive behaviour with sayings like "boys will be boys" or by blaming women for *provoking* violence. This just reinforces the idea that men are entitled to do whatever we want and allows for many of us to avoid facing consequences - continuing the cycle.

So, what can we do to change this? We need to tackle this from all angles, looking at both the patriarchal norms and mental health factors that contribute to violence. That means:

• Investing in prevention and education programs that target root attitudes and beliefs and encourage individual expression beyond traditional gender binaries

• Providing accessible and effective mental health support for everyone

• Normalising help-seeking behaviour

• Calling out and challenging sexism and the harmful ideas about masculinity that we see in our everyday lives

• Supporting and promoting healthy, respectful ways of being a man

• Holding men accountable for their actions

• Working to create a society that values equality, respect, and non-violence

The economic cost of mental ill-health and suicide in Australia is staggering. As I wrote in my article for The Politics,

“An older Productivity Commission report into the economic impact of mental ill-health and suicide found it costs between $43 billion and $70 billion annually through lower productivity and absenteeism, but found that by investing $4.2 billion in services it could deliver $18 billion in benefits back to the economy. While we shouldn’t reduce ourselves to mere hamsters on the wheel of the Australian economy, the economic argument for fully funding our mental health services is clear, you don’t have to have a bleeding heart to agree.”.

By adequately funding mental health resources and working to break down the barriers that prevent men from seeking help, we are also breaking down patriarchy — as more men seek treatment, more men will emerge from The Man Box, all the while creating a safer and more equitable society for everyone.

Ultimately, dismantling the patriarchal systems that harm us all is essential for creating lasting change. By challenging toxic gender norms, focusing on being good people, and supporting mental health, we can work towards a world where everyone can thrive and express themselves, free from violence and oppression.

As individuals, we can all play a role in this change by having tough conversations, advocating for better resources, calling out sexism when we see it and being there for one another without judgment. This means encouraging more men to engage in the discussion and take responsibility for our actions, examining how we might still contribute to patriarchy and helping our mates to get out of the Man Box too.

We’ll all be better for it.

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