ABSTRACT
Women's physical and emotional characteristics and sufferings have been studied, written about and mulled over – and over. By contrast, the problems affecting men are neglected – even by themselves. Men make far less use than women of the whole range of health care services except those concerned with accidents, alcohol and sexually-transmitted diseases. Psychopathy, drug dependency, delusional aggression and sexual deviations are all much commoner in males. Adolescent delinquency, and crime, whatever its causes, are mainly male problems: not through lesser moral rectitude but because of a greater propensity for energetic action. Schizophrenia affects the sexes equally but strikes earlier in the male and is more severe. In western culture men suffer less than women from the standard neuroses and minor psychiatric disorders but work-aholism is predominantly male, and so is its sequel, burnout. But in modern urban society, even where affluence and technology have diminished the value of muscle power, men still play most of the leading roles.
