Young Men's Mental Health

Why focus on young men's mental health?

Everyone has mental health and can experience mental illness regardless of their gender. That’s why having conversations about mental health in general is really important, but it is also important to talk about how mental health problems can affect different types of people differently – whether that’s because of race, sexuality, disability, or in this case gender. Explore some of the statistics and information below to understand why focusing on men’s mental health is important.

Thank you to Gilbert, Brooke (Youth Board Members) & Nathan (Expert by Experience Co-ordinator & Quality Improvement Coach at Southern Health) for appearing in this video.

"Boys don't cry" & "Man up"

Sterotypes about what is means to be a man like "boys don't cry" or "man up" discourage men from sharing how they are feeling. These stereotypes can have real psychological impact and make it more difficult for boys & men to get help when they need it.

75% of suicide deaths are men & suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45

The reasons leading to higher rates of suicide in men are complex, including stereotypes and societal expectations making it harder for men to reach out for support.

Find out more

There are many places where you can get help, along with websites with many other links and helplines. I have added some links to this slide, and I hope you can use some of these to help you. There are many more of these websites and help lines, and with a simple sentence on google, so much is revealed to you that can make a huge difference.

Slide show created by Brooke – Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust Youth Board Member

Happy Man

Watch this video to hear comedian and mental health campaigner Jack Rooke explore ‘What makes a happy man?’

This video is the first in a series of three short videos so if you enjoy this one & want to watch more you can search ‘BBC Three Happy Man’ on Youtube or Iplayer. Contains discussion of suicide.

BBC Young Reporter: 'I don't want to take my own life like my grandad'

Watch this video to hear BBC Young reporter Tyde talk about his grandad’s suicide and how he is helping himself & other young people avoid becoming another statistic.

Support for Young Men

All the support services linked on the homepage of this website can help you if you are struggling with your mental health. As well as the services on the homepage here are some extra services and resources with specific advice for young men which could help you or a friend:

Man MOT For The Mind – take a look at this manual from the Men’s Health Forum which includes ideas & activities for you to look after your mental health & check-in with a friend to see how they are.

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)– national helpline and webchat for anyone who is feeling down or has hit a wall. You can also find help for specific problems such as bereavement, gambling, and self-harm to name a few.

The Mix – has loads of advice specifically for young people on all kinds of topics. Some of these posts might help you:

Taraki – an organisation working to tackle mental health stigma, particularly in the Punjabi community. Read their posts from real men talking about mental health.