"It’s encouraging that men are becoming more open to talking about their mental health."
- Dr Doug Wright, Medical Director at Aviva UK Health
Of those surveyed (1,000), 17% of men aged 16-27 years old (Gen Z) said they’d talk in chat forums or online groups about their mental health – 6% higher than across all age groups. This willingness to engage with digital support was reflected in the treatment options that younger men received when seeking medical advice.
33% of Gen Z that sought professional help for their mental health received practical mental health support online – this is almost twice as high compared to the average across all age groups (19%). Just over one in five (22%) received talking therapies virtually, which was also slightly higher than the average.
Furthermore, Aviva found a lower reliance on anti-depressants as the ‘go-to option’ for younger age groups with only 22% of Gen Z revealing that they’d taken medication such as anti-depressants. This compares to over a third (34%) across all age groups. Notably, over half (54%) of men aged 55+ had been prescribed anti-depressants.
Younger generations are also actively engaging in the relatively new practice of social prescribing, which focuses on improving mental wellbeing by connecting individuals to activities, groups, and services in their community to meet the practical, emotional, and social needs that affect their health & wellbeing.
25% of Gen Z and just under a third (31%) of those aged 25-34 years old said they’d received support via social prescribing, compared to 21% across all age groups. Aviva believes this reflects a move towards a more holistic approach to the management of mental health.
“Over the past few years, much work has been done to help people recognise that mental health is as important as physical health. This change in attitude is likely helping to drive the positive trends we’re seeing from the younger generations taking part in our research,” explained Dr Doug Wright, Medical Director at Aviva UK Health.
He said: “It’s encouraging that men are becoming more open to talking about their mental health. This is a positive step which will help enable a preventative approach to mental ill health and give more people the confidence to seek help when they need it.
“However, it's not only attitudes which have changed in recent years. Digital healthcare has helped transform the way that mental health support can be delivered as well as enabling easier access to support. There’s also now a recognition that mental health can benefit from a holistic approach that treats the root cause of the problem as well as helping the individual put in place support to aid their future wellbeing,” Doug concluded.
