Heart Attack Or Panic Attack?

As an increasing number of men struggle with the reality of misdiagnosis of anxiety attacks, there is need to remove the stigma around mental health for men

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Anxiety affects one in five men at some point in their lives. Yet, the condition remains highly stigmatised, misunderstood and under-diagnosed.

Men are around half as likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder compared to women. However, some men feel the pressure to be fearless and hide their emotions while others simply don't understand or have the language to describe anxiety symptoms. This has serious consequences.

Research shows young men are turning to ambulance services when their symptoms become overwhelming; some even think they're having a heart attack.

So why do so many men wait until they need to call emergency services rather than seek support earlier from a GP or psychologist? And what prompts them to call?

Stigma attached to emotional expression

Boys are raised to value courage, strength and self-assurance and suppress vulnerability. When parents encourage boys to "face their fears" rather than offering emotional comfort and tenderness, anxiety gets positioned in conflict with masculinity, which leads to a disjuncture between the support young men are met with (and come to expect) from others and the support they may want or need. This also means boys grow up believing their male role models—fathers, brothers, grandfathers, teachers—don't get anxious, deterring boys and men from seeking help. As a result, anxiety goes undiagnosed, and opportunities for early intervention are missed.