Men’s Mental Health by the Numbers
Did you know:
- Nearly 1 in 10 men experience depression or anxiety, but fewer than half seek treatment. (ADAA, 2023)
- Over 6 million men per year in the U.S. are diagnosed with depression, yet many believe that male depression is often underdiagnosed due to atypical symptoms and social stigma. (Mental Health America, 2023)
- Men complete suicide nearly four times more often than women, despite women attempting suicide more frequently. (CDC, 2022)
Barriers and Challenges Men Face
Men may encounter unique personal and systemic challenges that make it harder for them to engage with mental health resources. Just as there are specialists who work with children, it’s important to recognize there can be gender-specific barriers that affect men’s psychological well-being.
- Societal Norms and Stigma: Societal pressures and outdated stereotypes regarding masculinity can discourage open conversations about emotional struggles. Traits often associated with masculinity like strength, bravery, and self-reliance – which are good traits to have – can sometimes create barriers to vulnerability and seeking help. Some men may be influenced by antiquated ideas regarding masculinity and can view seeking help as a sign of weakness.
- Limited Emotional Vocabulary: Some men struggle to recognize or articulate mental health needs due to a lack of awareness or language around emotional well-being. A 2022 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that 35% of men and 50% of women believed they needed mental health services in the past year. While 60% of the people who thought they needed help did seek it out, regardless of gender, the disparity between men and women recognizing the need for help underscores the need to help men identify and address their mental health needs. Of those who said they needed it, 60% of both genders sought help.
- Clinician Bias and Lack of Male-Focused Resources: Mental health professionals may inadvertently overlook or misinterpret male symptoms. It was only in 2019 that the APA released guidelines to help psychologists work with men and boys. Many services are not tailored to men’s specific needs or communication styles.
How Mental Health Symptoms Can Look Different in Men
While both men and women may experience symptoms such as sadness, hopelessness, fatigue, or suicidal ideation, men are more likely to exhibit signs that go unnoticed or misinterpreted. These signs are often dismissed or are not always identified in standard diagnostic criteria, leading to underdiagnosis and undertreatment.
Some of these may include:
- Unhealthy and/or Risky Coping Behaviors: Overworking, substance use, excessive time spent on hobbies or sports. They may engage in impulsive drinking or other substance abuse. They can have a tendency to make risky decisions.
- Physical Complaints: Their emotional distress may present itself physically. Chronic pain, digestive issues, and headaches are some symptoms that may not be easily linked to mental health conditions.
- Aggressive or Controlling Behavior: Outbursts of anger and attempts to control their environment or those around them are sometimes the outlet they use to express their underlying mental health conditions.
The Risk of Silence
While women are more likely to attempt suicide, men are more likely complete suicide. A 2022 study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that completed suicide rates among men were much higher among men with no known history of mental illness. Men are much less often diagnosed with mood disorders including anxiety and depression. This makes it critically important to address men’s mental health and recognize some of the reasons in proactive, inclusive, and compassionate ways.
How Men’s Mental Health Impacts Families and Communities
Men’s mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum, it profoundly affects their families, workplaces, and communities. When mental health struggles go unaddressed, the impact is felt far beyond the individual.
- Emotional Disconnection: Untreated mental health issues can affect a man’s ability to engage and respond to the emotional needs of their family. Partners and children may feel isolated or confused by a loved one’s emotional withdrawal, irritability, or unpredictable behavior. Children may internalize unhealthy coping behaviors and perhaps repeat the cycle with their mental health struggles.
- Reduced Productivity and Absenteeism: Mental health challenges can lead to difficulty concentrating, missed workdays, or job loss.
- Increased Healthcare Costs: Untreated conditions often result in more serious health issues, both mental and physical, that could require costly interventions.
- Community Safety: Unaddressed anger, substance misuse, or risk-taking behaviors can contribute to domestic violence, crime, or unsafe driving.
Ways to Support Men’s Mental Health
Whether you’re a friend, family member, co-worker, or community member, here are some strategies to help support the men in your life:
- Be a willing and active listener: Make space for open, nonjudgmental conversations.
- Recognize and validate efforts: Acknowledge when someone is doing their best, even if it’s not perfect.
- Collaborate on solutions: Approach challenges as a team instead of placing blame or offering unsolicited advice.
- Expand the circle of support: Encourage talking with a mental health professional or joining peer support groups.
When men thrive mentally and emotionally, families and communities benefit. Improved communication, stronger relationships, and healthier coping skills ripple outward, creating safer, more connected, and more compassionate environments for everyone.
If you’d like to learn more regarding men’s mental health, click here to watch our webinar with Lars Peterson, MSW, LISW.
If you have EFR’s Employee Assistance Program Benefit, you have access to counseling services. Click here to learn more.
If you are looking to provide an Employee Assistance Program in your workplace, click here to learn how you can partner with EFR.
