Emotions are the fundamental actions that are shown by a human and these are meant to show, but our society has segregated expressing emotion in gender categories. It is structured in a way that men are expected to behave stronger. Women are always seen as the ones who easily show their emotions. The environment in which they are born to have this type of misconception, from day one their mindset is framed in a way they have to behave stronger and are instructed not to cry out their emotions, not to show up their personal concern instead of that they are expected to bear everything. The phenomenon of men hiding their feelings is so significant attention in recent years. This article will cover why men hide their feeling and what is the psychological aspect behind this.
If we list out reasons behind this issue behind this phenomenon, the reasons can be:
1) Social Conditioning:
From a young age, boys are taught that is not acceptable to express emotions, especially negative ones like sadness, fear, anxiety, and vulnerability. They are expected to behave manly and tough and show emotion and if they show their emotion they might seem like weak human. And this social conditioning limits the buys to express their emotion confidently.
2) Gender Stereotype:
Society has often set different expectations for men and women for expressing emotion. Women are mostly more emotionally expressive than men. And it is acceptable for them to show their emotion. Men, on the other hand, are stereotyped as stoic, strong, and less likely to show their emotion. These gender stereotypes make men feel likely to suppress their emotions in order to fit me.
3) Fear of Judgement:
Men are often afraid of being judged if they show their emotions, especially negative ones. They may worry of being seen as weak, immature, and unmanly. This fear of judgment can lead men to hide their emotions, even from their closest loved ones.
4) Coping Mechanism:
For some men hiding emotion is a coping mechanism. If they have any negative past experience of showing emotion they may likely not express their emotion often. Thus, learned to protect themselves by keeping their emotions to themselves.
5) The stress of being a problem solver:
Society expects most men to solve problems and prioritize addressing issues over discussing their feelings. This can lead to decreased emotional intelligence.
6) Lack of role models:
Many boys grow up without seeing positive examples of men expressing their emotions in a healthy way. Their fathers and other male role models taught them to reduce their emotions. A lack of role models can make it difficult for men to learn to express their emotions in a healthy way.
7) Emotional illiteracy:
Some men may have difficulty identifying and expressing their emotions due to a lack of curiosity. They may not be able to understand or express their emotions, making it easy for them to hide their feelings.
Tips for coping for men to show their emotions:
1) Be patient:
It’s crucial to keep in mind that males can learn to control their emotions for a number of purposes. Their ability to communicate their emotions and open up may require some time and patience. Thus, one should comprehend and wait for the response with patience.
2) Create a safe space:
Men like venting about their emotions, but it’s crucial to provide a secure and encouraging atmosphere for them. This is offering you support and listening to them without passing judgment. We would assure them that we are not scrutinizing them.
3) Encourage them:
Motivate them to use healthy channels for expressing their emotions. There are a lot of healthy methods to communicate your feelings, including writing, chatting, working out, and doing art. Encourage the males in your lives to express their feelings in a healthy way.
Other than this, there are some tips for the peers.
4) Don’t pressure them:
If a man is not ready to talk about his feelings, don’t pressure him. Let him know that you are there for him when he is ready.
5) Don’t take it personally:
If a man is not expressing his feelings to you, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t care about you. It may simply mean that he is struggling to open up.
6) Don’t try to read their minds:
It is impossible to know what someone is feeling if they don’t tell you. If you are curious about how a man is feeling, ask him.
7) Don’t assume:
Don’t assume that they are not feeling anything. Just because a man is not expressing his emotions doesn’t mean that he is not feeling anything. Men experience the full range of emotions just like women do.
