It’s more important than ever that we as a society are providing the right support for young men, where three things are essential:
It is accessible,
Provided at the right moment,
It must not stigmatise and it must be relatable to ensure that young men feel seen and understood by the support, so that they can connect and are receptive to it.
Worldwide, nearly 50% of mental health problems occur before age 25 and the prime age of onset is 14.5 years old (Solmi et al, 2022). Men are underrepresented in seeking NHS psychological support, with those identifying as male aged 18-25 account for under 30% of referrals (NHS, 2022). Throughout generations it has been clear and evident that men are less likely to seek support due to stereotypes (generalisations about masculinity), stigma (shame and embarrassment), it being perceived as a weakness or less masculine, male stoicism or hyper-independence and the age-old rhetoric of ‘just get on with it’ and ‘man up’.
Clearly this has led to increased barriers to want and actively seek support, and owes to the ever-alarming statistics of suicide rates in the UK: 75% of all UK suicides being men (ONS, 2024). So, there must be a correlation between the lack of accessing support from men and the deterioration of mental and physical wellbeing which then leads to large social problems like severe depression and suicide (Sheikh et al, 2024). Therefore, how do we change young men’s attitudes on receiving support?
It requires other self-aware men that are willing to break those barriers, stereotypes and stigmas, to provide the first step in support. It is not about being ‘less’ masculine, it is about reframing it to work for the individual. This opens the door for young men to challenge and change their perspective on support as being a strength and holding themselves accountable. Positive male role models encourage young men to understand and express their full range of emotions, not be ashamed of them, hide them, or be ruled by them. Male role models lead by example and seek support for their own health problems, they talk openly and honestly about their challenges and how they overcome them. The more men that break the damaging stereotypes and have exposure to younger, more impressionable minds, the more healthy attitudes and culture will develop.
References:
Sheikh, A., Payne-Cook, C., Lisk, S., Carter, B., & Brown, J.S.L. Why do young men not seek help for affective mental health issues? A systematic review of perceived barriers and facilitators among adolescent boys and young men. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2025 Feb;34(2):565-583.
Solmi, M., Radua, J., Olivola, M., Croce, E., Soardo, L., Salazar de Pablo, G. & Fusar-Poli, P. (2022) Age at onset of mental disorders worldwide: large-scale meta-analysis of 192 epidemiological studies. Mol Psychiatry 27(1):281–295.
Office For National Statistics (2024) Suicides in England and Wales. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/suicidesintheunitedkingdomreferencetables
NHS Digital (2022) Psychological Therapies, Annual report on the use of IAPT services, 2021–22 (Psychological Therapies, Annual Reports on the use of IAPT services). https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/psychological-therapies-annual-reports-on-the-use-of-iapt-services/annual-report-2021-22