Stop Ignoring Men’s Mental Health

Haley Moore
Jun 14
5 min read

Stop Ignoring Men’s Mental Health

What You Can Do This Men’s Mental Health Month to Make a Difference

Written By: Haley Moore

June is Men’s Mental Health Month in Canada. A lot of people wonder why this month even exists. - Men are tough, right? So if they’re so tough, why do we need to even worry about their mental health? - This type of thinking is exactly why we need to talk about men’s mental health and raise awareness about how to support men in the society of toxic masculinity that we have formed around us.

What is Toxic Masculinity?

Toxic masculinity is generally defined as harmful beliefs and behaviours that come from old fashioned male roles in the extreme form. Toxic masculinity is unhealthy for all people, as it includes ideas about men being dominant, heterosexual, aggressive, and uncaring for themselves and others in order to be a ‘real man’.

Canadian men, or men who currently live in Canada, are surrounded by a culture that expects men to be silent about their struggles, be the steadfast provider, and be completely self-reliant to meet their needs. Old-school mentalities of masculinity mean that men are often shamed when they express emotions, despite most people wanting ‘emotionally available men’ in the dating world. Esther Perel, a renowned couple’s therapist, has called this the ‘Masculinity Paradox’ - the old standards of the stoic man are confused with the desires of a caring person, because they are inherently conflictual and can’t both exist.

Think of the men in your life compared to the women. Women are socialized to gossip (which we know isn’t healthy, but it does serve as a connector). Women are socialized to connect. Women are socialized to vent. Women are socialized to have sleepovers and girl’s nights out, where secrets are shared openly. Women are socialized to create deep and meaningful bonds.

Men are socialized to suck it up and ‘be tough’. Men are socialized to not cry. Men are socialized to keep their emotions and struggles to themselves. Men are socialized to act like they don’t care. Men are socialized to have boy’s nights out, where there is heavy intoxication and lots of distractions. Men are socialized to create surface level connections only.

So If They Don’t Talk About It, How Do We Know Men Suffer?

The bottom line - statistics. In Canada, approximately 4,500 people die by suicide every year. This is a harrowing 12 people per day that lose their lives to mental health. From statistics, however, we know that men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women (Note: We try to be as inclusive as possible and recognize there are more than two genders. We don’t know exactly how the Canadian government categorizes trans and non-binary folks, as all of the official statistics only include men and women). At all points in time since suicide numbers have been tracked (for 70 years, starting in 1950), men have been the victims of death by suicide at a higher rate than women. Suicide rates among younger Canadians are also increasing in alarming numbers, showing us that our youth are suffering more and more.

Unfortunately suicide rates are not our only indicator of male suffering. It is estimated that 1 in 2 men are at risk of social isolation, meaning that they do not feel like they have someone they can talk to emotionally or confide in. Men are more likely to say that they do not have a close intimate connection than women, especially if a man is unmarried. Men are also more likely than women to overuse alcohol and drugs above recommended limits.

What We Can Do To Support Men

Awareness

If we don’t see it, we can’t do anything about it. Pay attention to the men around you - at work, at school, at home - and notice when they might deflect an emotional conversation instead of turning towards it. Notice the reaction of others when men show emotion. Notice how we show men in social media and pop culture.

Encouragement

Encourage the men in your life to seek out help. Share resources (there are some below!), both on social media and in person. If you yourself identify as a man, talk to other men about seeking therapy or mental health support. Talk to other men about your struggles. Talk to other men about your mood. Show other men examples of ‘strong’ men talking about their mental health openly. Seeing an example of healthy conversation and sharing goes a long way.

Offer to help men. Ask them what you could do to make their emotional world a bit lighter. Ask them how to help them process their current situation. It may feel weird at first, but being able to listen effectively is one of the best ways to encourage open communication.

Self-Reflection

If you are encouraging someone to talk about their mental health, you need to also reflect on how you respond. Coming back to the Masculinity Paradox, Esther Perel talks about how in heterosexual relationships women often complain about their male partners not being ‘emotional enough’, but when their male partners express emotions, they shut them down. Notice how you feel when you hear a man express emotion. Notice what your urge is, and if you need to, work on this in your own therapy or journaling practice. Make sure you are a safe person to go to for the men in your life and do your best to make sure you aren’t adding to the stigma and judgement.

Where To Seek Help

There are lots of resources out there to help support men. Resources vary greatly based on region, so please do your own research*. Here are a few options to explore:

Support Groups

Crisis Lines & Resources

*Please note that none of these resources are endorsed or supported by Therapy Uninterrupted Inc., or any of its clinicians. Please use these resources at your own risk.

References

Canadian Mental Health Association. (n.d.). Men’s Mental Health. https://cmhato.org/understanding-mental-health/mens-mental-health/

Government of Canada. (2023, January 9). Suicide in Canada: Key statistics (infographic). Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/suicide-canada-key-statistics-infographic.html

Government of Canada. (2023, June 18). Canadian Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CADS): summary of results for 2019. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canadian-alcohol-drugs-survey/2019-summary.html

Government of Canada. (2024, September 16). Suicide in Canada. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/suicide-prevention/suicide-canada.html

Men’s Health Foundation. (2025). Never Alone: Men’s Mental Health Month 2025. https://menshealthfoundation.ca/canadian-mens-health-month/

Morin, A. (2024, June 24). What is Toxic Masculinity? Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-toxic-masculinity-5075107

Movember. (2025). Men’s Health Week. https://ca.movember.com/mens-health/mental-health

Perel, E. (2019, October 29). The Masculinity Paradox: Closing and Q+A - Sessions Live by Esther Perel [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5sDXJoRbcI

Statistics Canada. (2017, June 16). Health at a Glance. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-624-x/2012001/article/11696-eng.htm

Zencare Team. (2024, November 5). Men's Mental Health Month: How To Support Men in 2025. Zencare. https://blog.zencare.co/mens-mental-health-month-how-to-support-men-in-2025/