Many Canadians avoid mental therapy

MONTREAL, May 26 (UPI) -- More women than men in Canada seek medical help for mental illness such as depression or schizophrenia, a researcher says.

The study, published in the Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, found that anywhere from 20 percent to 70 percent of Canadians affected by mental illness shun medical treatment. The avoidance of services is particularly acute among men, the researchers determined.

Study author Aline Drapeau of the University of Montreal said data from a Statistics Canada Canadian Community Health Survey revealed women are 1.5 times more likely than men to turn to psychiatric services, twice as likely to consult a psychologist and 2.5 times more likely to turn to a general practitioner.

While these numbers might suggest more women suffer from mental illness, Drapeau disagreed.

"In comparable circumstances, women consult more often than men," Drapeau said in a statement. "If mental disease is seen in a negative light in the workplace, a man will be more reluctant than a woman to use the services available to treat their disease."

Other factors, such as tight finances can influence whether men use mental health services, but the root of the problem, Drapeau stressed, is that men have greater difficulty acknowledging and accepting their symptoms.