Mens Mental Health in 2025

I was recently asked to give a workshop on men’s mental health for HR professionals and it was a bit of an opportunity to draw attention again to the gender differences we still see in the expression and diagnosis of mental health issues and how we can better support mens mental health.

Even in 2025 men are disproportionately negatively affected by poor mental health due in significant part to outdated gender norms that insist that men have to be strong, that they have to be in control.

That men should be able to handle whatever life throws at them, be able to handle challenges confidently, and that 'real men' should avoid “feminine” behaviours like discussing emotions or opening up about their feelings.

75% of UK suicides are men and there’s some evidence that having thoughts about suicide, having attempted suicide but surviving, or self-harming (which can be a predictor of suicide) is under-reported. Men are more likely to die from suicide without ever having been in contact with formal mental health support.

Similarly men are less likely to be diagnosed with depression simply because they’re less likely to ask for help than it being less likely in men (what we call the Gender Paradox).

Because of not wanting to be seen to be weak, vulnerable, or less masculine, men are much less likely to ask for help when it’s needed.

In addition, men have fewer sources of emotional support and have less frequent contact with friends, so we see unhelpful attempts at self-soothing and men are more likely to have problems with alcohol, drugs and gambling leading to chronic health issues and earlier mortality.

One of the biggest criticisms is that there is a lot of talk of reaching out but when men do, is the support there? Are we willing to make changes in our workplaces or do we default to outdated biases? Is there enough local support on the ground to help? We know that the NHS is chronically underfunded and there can be long delays for accessing counselling through our GPs. Awareness campaigns are one thing, but they need to be back up by serious investment from government, meaningful change, and support when it’s needed.

Therapy is a safe place to talk about what’s troubling you without judgement. I've had a lot of success with men who have never considered counselling before. If you'd like to work with me on your mental health, fill in the contact form or email me directly at mckellarcbt@gmail.com.