Discussion The left and men’s mental health

[19andOverdue]

I am a young white guy with BPD and chronic ctb ideation, this discussion is from my perspective,

This might offend a majority of the left, but understand that I'm conscious of my privilege and actively stand against far-right ideologies

However, on an individual scale, I receive little to no sympathy for my mental health and disposition in the world. Common narrative today is that male CTB's are a consequence of the patriarchy, and I feel mental health issues amongst white men in particular are largely misinterpreted as anger and hatred towards minorities. Even though I feel "mental illness doesn't discriminate" is common sense, it doesn't seem to fit in the left's narrative, and I know a lot of fellow men in general have a hard time expressing their feelings, for toxic masculinity reasons, and due to silence from the outspoken left. The only time I ever see the left talk about men's issues, is the suicide rate, and again, it's largely just blamed on toxic masculinity and white supremacy, and brushed under the rug for more pronounced issues that damage lgbt, women, and POC. (Not that we shouldn't focus on those issues)

I sure hope I'm not promoting any hateful ideas, I'm just a guy in mental agony who wants sympathy on an individual level. Please educate me if my ideas come across as harmful

 

[dead]

Sorry I'm not sure what "the left" has to do with anything. There are plenty of resources targeted at males struggling with mental illness, particularly because men are less likely to talk about their issues.

I've never heard of mental illness in men being associated with white supremacy.

 

[waitingforrest]

Regardless of the left on mental health, I think anyone that doesn't fit into sterotypes are usually forgotten. Victims being denied help because they must be faking, don't look like they need help.
Or the common sayings that all group name are like that and your symptoms is just a phase, or making a issue out of nothing.

It is great to see people speak up against injustice, there really is disparity all throughout history.
I think that there are certain illnesses that make people jump through hoops just to finally diagnosed, all because of gender and sterotypes, finances.

Perhaps it's not purely on gender and genetics, but more because of how we treat and view people on what is considered acceptable and not, the conditions and life experiences of the individual. That there are many people out there undiagnosed because no doctor took their problems serriously.

But if it is not about fighting for rights and just threats and insults; disgregarding real problems or trying to keep others down. Only brought up and used as a 'well what about all the (____)' in order to invalidate a vulnerable group.


That is just hate speech at that point.

 

[Chinaski]

Yeah this has nothing to do with "the left", idgi.

 

[noaccount]

Nothing there sounds "hateful."

Certainly psychiatric diagnosis is used to mis-frame, erase, and belittle people's struggles against all sorts of oppression - diagnoses for not wanting to work shit jobs, black men called schizophrenic for being angry at white supremacy, women labeled with personality disorders for not complying with patriarchal norms.

You yourself might find that there's a big divergence between what you want for your own health, and how doctors/psychiatrists want you to think or live.

What negative reactions did you get for talking about your struggles, or what support would you need?

 

[NSA]

This almost sounds like what I used to think feminism was. You see those rabid types who hate men and think those are the only kind out there. And if you live in a certain (right wing) environment, of course they like to push the apparent frequency of those types for their own reasons. Idiots poison everything.

I still don't really like the word feminism, but it really is supposed to be about equality for everyone, extriemest nutjobs notwithstanding. Hopefully you come across the good ones someday.

Partrichial thinking and toxic masculinity hurts everyone.

 

[noaccount]

While it may hurt everyone in some ways, a lot of people have decided that whatever harm it might do them is worth it for the power it gives them over others... :\

 

[Pluto]

Sounds like you could use some better friends, and less time on Twitter.

 

[come to dust]

What I would note is that even if you dont think white men get enough space in mental health conversations on the left, the left is still the only side fighting for more mental health funding, non privatised and affordable healthcare, and social security for the mentally disabled. All of that would benefit you.