Mark Houston Recovery

Domestic Violence, Substance Abuse and Men

According to an article published by the Group Health Cooperative Center for Health Studies, women aren’t the only ones who suffer from episodes of domestic violence. In fact, men experience domestic violence as well and the impact of this on their health can be just as devastating.

Domestic violence in men is under-studied and often hidden- much as it was in women 10 years ago…We want abused men to know they’re not alone. -Robert J Reid, MD, PhD, Associate Investigator for Group Health Center for Health Studies

5 Myths About Domestic Violence in Men

According to Group Health, there are several myths surrounding domestic violence and men:

1. Few men experience domestic violence. Based on in-depth phone conversations with over 400 randomly sampled adult male Group Health patients, 5% had experienced domestic violence in the past year while almost 30% had experienced some form of abuse over their lifetimes. For the purposes of the study, domestic violence included:
   • Nonphysical Abuse: threats, chronic disparaging remarks, controlling behavior
   • Physical Abuse: slapping, hitting, kicking, forced sex
2. Abuse of men has no serious effects. Researchers found that domestic violence is associated with serious, long-term effects on mens mental health. Depressive symptoms were nearly three times as common in older men who had experienced abuse than in those who hadn’t.
3. Abused men don’t stay, because they’re free to leave. Similar to women who often stay in abusive relationships for long periods of time; abused men were also found to follow a similar pattern.
4. Domestic violence only affects poor people. This is not true; domestic violence is an equal-opportunity employer that can affect anyone.
5. Ignoring it will make it go away. Ignoring a problem such as domestic violence will NOT make the problem go away. Eventually, the problem will manifest itself in some form, whether it’s in the form of alcohol or drug abuse.

If you know of someone who is in need of help for drug or alcohol abuse as it relates to domestic violence, contact a reputable drug and alcohol recovery center. Additionally, you can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline toll free at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233).

For more information on substance abuse, contact Mark Houston Recovery today!

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