“We don’t talk about feelings or struggles like that”: White men’s experiences of eating disorders in the workplace.

Abstract

Masculine qualities are highly prized in the workplace, and men who deviate from these standards may experience personal and organizational backlash for their inability or unwillingness to perform masculinity. Additionally, those with mental health problems face complications managing their conditions at work due to organizational and interpersonal challenges. In the current study, we examine the intersection of masculinity and mental health in the workplace, focusing specifically on White men with eating disorders (EDs), who may experience (or perceive) compounded stigma, both for having a psychological disorder and for struggling with a mental health condition that is stereotyped as feminine. Although the experiences of individuals with EDs at work have been understudied in general, the experiences of working men with EDs are virtually nonexistent in the psychological literature. To fill this gap, 14 White men were interviewed about their experiences navigating their EDs at work. Participants faced unique challenges in managing their conditions while attempting to perform masculinity appropriately in the workplace. Through a thematic analysis of these interviews, four major emergent themes were identified: fear of stigma and (non)disclosure, emotional reactions, coping strategies, and impaired work performance. The vigilance required to both remain undetected as an individual coping with an ED combined with the pressure to perform masculinity at work made work life especially challenging for men afflicted with these conditions. Implications for organizations, clinicians, and men with EDs are discussed.

Men’s Experiences of Mental Illness Stigma Across the Lifespan: A Scoping Review

“…Six studies reported how mental illness stigma and men's fear of transgressing masculine cultures normed by strength, independence, and invincibility, can play out in male-dominated environments such as places of paid work and professional sport (DeLenardo & Terrion, 2014;Hassouneh & Fornero, 2020;Mahalik & Dagirmanjian, 2019;Siegel & Sawyer, 2019;Staiger et al, 2020;Wood et al, 2017). Consistently reported by men in these studies was the fear of being perceived as weak, incapable of coping with distress, and failing to fulfill the masculine norms deemed mandatory for specific male dominated jobs and sports.…”

Disclosure of Mental Health Problems or Suicidality at Work: A Systematic Review

“…The review identified 26 studies, including 16 qualitative [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ], 7 quantitative [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ] and 3 mixed-methods studies [ 52 , 53 , 54 ]. Table 1 summarizes the included studies.…”

Showing up “More as My True Self”: Gender and Mushing in the United States

“…We had trouble recruiting cis-men; only 8% of those men approached participated, compared to 33% of women, 50% of trans men, and 100% of nonbinary people. Difficulty recruiting men to participate in research that asks them to discuss a personal experience or a sensitive topic is not unique (Butera, 2006;Siegel & Sawyer, 2020). Butera (2006) states that men's refusal to participate is one way that they perform masculinity and that men are more likely to participate when they feel certain that the research with allow them to perform their masculinity well (p. 1274).…”