Men & Mental Health

Nearly half of all men will meet criteria for a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. Depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and other conditions do not discriminate. They affect men of every age, background, and walk of life.

The current climate for men’s mental health has come to a critical point in history, where national strategies need to be made to address the increasing number of men who are experiencing mental health-related challenges.

Stigma associated with mental health is prevalent and common. Men face the added stigma that seeking help for mental health is a sign of weakness, or that ‘real men’ don't need help. This can lead many men to find that they can not find the places for help that women often do especially from their partners or government agencies.

Men's Mental Health Statistics

• About 1 in 5 men will experience major depression by age 75.
• Alcohol use disorder affects roughly 1 in 6 men in any given year, nearly twice the rate seen in women.
• Men account for nearly 80% of all suicide deaths in the United States. The suicide rate among men is approximately four times higher than among women.
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death among men aged 25 to 34.
• More than half of men who die by suicide had no known mental health diagnosis at the time of death.

Why Men Often Don't Get Help

Many men grow up learning that asking for help is a sign of weakness, or that being "tough" means handling problems alone. Research consistently shows that these beliefs, sometimes called traditional masculinity norms, are one of the biggest barriers to men seeking mental health care.

Common reasons men avoid getting help include:

• Believing they should be able to handle it on their own.
• Feeling embarrassed or ashamed about struggling emotionally.
• Not recognizing their symptoms as a mental health issue.
• Worrying about being judged by friends, family, or coworkers.
• Not knowing where to go or what to expect from treatment.
• Societal pressure about 'masculinity' and perceived 'feminine weakness.'

These barriers are real, but they can be overcome. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness. It is a practical step toward solving a problem, no different from seeing a doctor for a broken bone or a persistent cough.

What Mental Health Problems Can Look Like in Men

Mental health conditions do not always look the way people expect. In men, symptoms may show up differently than the "classic" descriptions, which can make them harder to recognize. Men experiencing depression or anxiety may notice:

• Irritability, anger, or a short temper.
• Feeling restless or on edge.
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
• Loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy.
• Physical symptoms like headaches, digestive problems, or chronic pain.
• Changes in sleep (too much or too little).
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs.
• Taking more risks than usual.
• Withdrawing from family and friends.
• Feeling tired or burned out all the time.

Men are more likely to express emotional distress through anger, risk-taking, or substance use rather than sadness or crying. These symptoms can be overlooked by the person experiencing them, by loved ones, and sometimes even by healthcare providers.

Awareness and Advocacy

Movements like movember (grow a mo to save a bro) during November and international men's day on November 19th help to raise awareness of this problem.

Resources

Find masculine-specific resources in your area at HeadsUpGuys.

In addition, resources in the Kinktionary's Mental Health section are fully accessible to all genders.