Masculinity: Thor’s Reason and Answer to Depression
Warning: If you have not watched Avengers: End Game, this article is not for you. Spoilers below.
If you asked me who my favourite Avenger is, I always say it’s a toss up between the Incredible Hulk and Thor. Who doesn’t love a hunky, humorous, strong, confident guy, am I right? However, in watching End Game, I noticed a change in character in these two, especially with Thor - a demigod who was once the most charming Avenger was reduced to a chunky, dirty, alcoholic. I can’t blame him though, losing a monumental battle and your loved ones can do that do a person, even if you are the God of Thunder.
Although the movie put a comedic spin on how Thor dealt with the era post-Thanos, it was obvious that Thor was dealing with grief and trauma. From a psychological perspective, it makes sense that Thor would fall into this realm of depression, especially since he has endured countless losses prior to the infamous Thanos snap. If Thor was a client in my office and we ran through the Beck Depression Inventory, a tool that helps determine extent of depression, it would be safe to say that he would rate himself as someone with significant signs of depression. His symptoms would include feeling like a failure, self-dislike, self-criticalness, worthlessness, and guilt. Instead of finding healthy ways of dealing with his depression, we see Thor using unhealthy means such as immersing himself in video games as a distraction and turning to the bottle, essentially numbing his feelings. Thankfully, by the end of the movie, Thor is back to his confident, humorous self and he has his masculinity to thank for that.
Masculinity has gotten a lot of smack for being a factor that causes depression in men. Although there are parts to masculinity that are detrimental for mental health in males, there are also aspects that can protect men from depression. I can argue that when Thor was depressed, he was acting on masculine factors that contributed to it, but when he transitioned into practicing positive mental health, he relied on protective masculine factors.
Studies have shown that masculinity encompasses several aspects including self-reliance, use of violence, emotional control, winning, and risk-taking. Men that value self-reliance are individuals who desire independence. They typically avoid seeking help for emotional problems because they believe they can do it themselves. Those who value violence as an aspect of masculinity are those who are willing to fight if they are provoked and struggle to regulate their emotions. Finally, the factor of emotional control meant that men practicing this trait are less likely to express “weak” emotions due to societal expectations. These three aspects are seen to increase the likelihood of depression in men and this population is less likely to seek help.
Think of how Thor relied on these factors after the universe was reset. He acted in anger and violence when killing Thanos (use of violence), he isolated himself from the Avengers so as to deal with his feelings on his own (self-reliance), and he turned to alcohol and video games to numb his emotions (emotional control). No wonder he fell into depression. Luckily, Thor later relied on the remaining factors of masculinity that helped him move away from depression: Winning and Risk-Taking.
Men who emphasize winning as a part of their masculinity are found to have greater confidence and reliant on their skills and strengths. By re-integrating into the Avengers, Thor was reminded of what it felt like to be a part of a team of superheroes who shared the same goal as him. He recognized his strengths, gained confidence in his team, and overall was motivated to win the fight against evil. This gave his life meaning and purpose. He also valued taking risks, which requires courage, resilience, and self-efficacy. He knew that he was embarking on a mission where there was a possibility of no return, yet his masculine risk-taking quality was greater than himself and it propelled him out of depression. Literature states that these two factors can actually prevent one from depression if practiced, which we see beautifully played out with Thor.
It just goes to show that although masculinity can play a role in depression in men, it doesn’t mean that it can’t also protect them from depression. There are aspects of masculinity that seems near impossible to maintain, which can lead to negative feelings about ourselves, yet if we practice the ones that protect us from depression, it has a positive ending. We may not all be Gods of Thunder, but we definitely possess the same strength as him. Find it within yourself to tap into your positive masculinity and use it to your advantage to defeat your own Infinity War.
For more information on masculinity factors, check out the below article in which this piece was based.
Iwamoto, D. K., Brady, J., Kaya, A., & Park, A. (2018). Masculinity and Depression: A Longitudinal Investigation of Multidimensional Masculine Norms Among College Men. American journal of men's health, 12(6), 1873–1881. doi:10.1177/1557988318785549