TAMPA, Fla. — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, male suicides are four times higher than females. A CDC report shows men make up more than 83% of all deaths by suicide, and yet they are the least likely group to seek help.
Anson Whitmer personally knows the feeling of losing someone to suicide. Two close male relatives died by suicide early in his life.
“When I was 19, my uncle killed himself. And later on, so did a cousin of mine, who was quite close to me as well. It motivated me to get my PhD in neuroscience. I want to understand why people fell into depression, ultimately, to suicide,” said Whitmer.
Through that research, Whitmer realized that 20,000 mental health apps are currently available, but each fails to connect with men.
“The problem is that men are 80% of the suicides in this country. So, if we fail to connect with men, (we) will never bring the suicide crisis down,” explained Whitmer. “The suicide crisis has been going on for decades. And we haven't changed it. And I think we need to get a little bit more flexible, innovative, and how we're approaching it if we actually want to change it.”
So, he got innovative and developed the first mental health app just for men. It is called “Mental” and is all about progress rather than emotions, which is what most female-oriented apps deal with.
“How do I take actions to quickly solve my problems? That's what men like to do. And so, our app is really built around helping guys take small actions. And move towards solving their problems faster than they could on their own,” explained Whitmer.
The “Mental App” offers various tactics to help men with their mental well-being. One of the recommendations is taking a cold shower to beat stress and get mental clarity.
“It's a guided cold shower taught by a master chief navy seal, and he teaches you all these mental tools that the seals use under pressure. And if you train them, under the stress of cold, they will become your reflexive response to everyday stress,” said Whitmer.
The app is mostly built around men's morning routine, written by a comedian.
“That's the other thing we really bring to the app is just irreverent humor because that's how men tend to approach problems with mental health instead of being serious. We like the dark humor; it keeps us engaged. And that is science-based tips to change your mindset for the rest of the day,” explained Whitmer.
The app also just added a clinical AI coaching program with evidence-based coaching that helps users get through roadblocks and work towards long-term results. The ''Mental App'' offers a free trial for the first week and then $59 per year.
For more information, click here.