What are the signs, symptoms and causes of male anxiety?

By Martin Truscott, NCPS Accredited Counsellor and Polyvagal-Informed Practitioner · Three Oaks Therapy · February 2023

Anxiety is a common, treatable mental health condition. It's a normal reaction to stressful situations and can be helpful in certain situations. But if your anxiety isn't helping you cope with life's challenges but instead interfering with your daily activities, you may have an anxiety disorder.

What is male anxiety?

While both men and women can suffer from anxiety, and many of the symptoms and causes of anxiety are the same, men suffer from different pressures which means that male anxiety is less diagnosed and men are less likely to reach out for support.

Many men, due to the pressure to conform to the male stereotype, may feel that seeking support and showing vulnerability shows weakness or compromises their masculinity. They are socialised not to show their feelings, or to express only the feelings that seem more masculine. This can result in men displaying their anxiety in different ways and choosing to self-medicate rather than seek support.

Causes of male anxiety

Stressful life events such as work problems, financial problems or relationship issues can trigger feelings of stress or worry that may lead to anxiety in some men. Men also suffer more with anxiety around sexual performance.

Other possible causes include past experiences of trauma (such as abuse), genetics, and other health conditions – anxiety often sits alongside depression, for example.

How is male anxiety different?

Male anxiety is different from female anxiety in many ways, especially in the coping methods they use. Men are more likely to drink alcohol or use drugs to cope with their feelings, which can lead to depression and addiction. They're also more likely to be irritable, angry and aggressive - and they tend not to seek help as often because of the stigma around mental health issues in general (and specifically for men). They may also suffer from headaches, problems sleeping and mood swings as a result of their anxiety.

Men are also less likely than women to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder; many men have a harder time admitting that they need help or acknowledging that they have a problem at all. Men also account for around three-quarters of suicides in the UK, which is one more reason it matters so much that men feel able to ask for help early.

If you need help now:

If your life or someone else's is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E.
Samaritans: call 116 123 – free, any time, day or night.
NHS 111: call 111 and choose the mental health option.
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably): 0800 58 58 58, 5pm to midnight every day.

If you recognise these signs in yourself, you don’t have to push through on your own. Book a free 20-minute chat — in person at Broughton Gate, Milton Keynes, or online anywhere in the UK.

Find out more about counselling for men in Milton Keynes and online.

Email: [email protected]
Enquiry form: threeoakstherapy.co.uk/#contact
Martin Truscott · NCPS Accredited Counsellor · Polyvagal-Informed Practitioner
Broughton Gate, Milton Keynes MK10 · Online sessions across the UK